Nine firefighters are among 11 people injured after a fire broke out in Queens early Monday morning.
The fire broke out at a vacant two-story home on 41st Avenue in Flushing after 2 a.m. Fire officials believe the building was occupied by squatters.
“Disrepair and the upkeep of the building itself is not up to par obviously. So always a concern for us as fire department members,” FDNY Deputy Chief Brendan McSweeney said.
Two civilians escaped the home on their own but were brought to the hospital to be treated for critical injuries. The injuries to the firefighters are described as minor.
“Units had a tough time fighting back the fire due to heavy debris clutter, which filled basically the entire building,” McSweeney said.
Firefighters remained on the scene hours after the fire as they continued to search for possible victims.
It’s unclear how many squatters were inside the home. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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