A massive fire swept through a row of businesses in Queens Strip Mall early Thursday, leaving a dozen people with minor injuries, including six firefighters, officials said.
The blaze started inside a store in the Queens Blvd. near 45th St. in Sunnyside at around at around 2 a.m. and quickly spread to neighboring stores.
More than 160 FDNY personnel were still fighting the blaze, and residents reported hearing explosions and fireballs as firefighters continued to battle the flames in a cloud of smoke. Many stores including a restaurant, a hardware store, and a UPS store were damaged. Flames nearly reached a pet store filled with animals, but firefighters were able to douse the fire before reaching the location.
