Three people were killed and several others hurt, including four firefighters, after a fire broke out at an illegally converted rooming house in Queens, police said.
Firefighters were at the scene in Jamaica Estates at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
“When our units arrived, they had fire out the windows of the first floor. The fire had extended to the second floor and attic, and these were all living spaces,” said FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito.
“There were makeshift walls. The means of egress were substandard, exits blocked, stairways blocked.”
At least five survivors suffered injuries, including three who jumped out of the second floor and attic to escape the fire.
Four firefighters sustained minor injuries in the blaze that was contained by 3 a.m.
FDNY officials called the house a fire trap with no working smoke detectors, makeshift walls, and residents packed into small apartments.
“There’s no evidence to us at this time that there’s a working smoke detector in this house,” said Commissioner Robert Tucker.
“And there’s a lot of evidence of extension cords and other carelessness.”
