21 Hurt After Queens House Fire Spreads to Adjoining Buildings, Officials Say The five alarm fire that ravaged a row of wood frame buildings in Queens' Flushing neighborhood on Saturday is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in our aging urban landscape.
The incident left 21 people injured and multiple families displaced. Built in 1930, the affected buildings are relics of a bygone era, their wood frame construction a fire hazard waiting to happen.
Fire Chief Kevin Woods acknowledged that "wood frame buildings... they're all wood," highlighting the city's failure to adapt to changing building codes and safety standards.