Queens, NY — A massive early-morning house fire in Queens escalated into a dangerous scene with an explosion that injured several NYPD officers and forced firefighters to battle flames from the outside, FDNY officials said. The blaze broke out shortly before 3 a.m. Thursday at a private home on 130th Street, quickly intensifying into a five-alarm fire.
Fire officials said the structure was already heavily engulfed when crews arrived, limiting their ability to enter the building.
Explosion and heavy fire complicate response
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito said the intensity of the fire made interior operations impossible at first, forcing crews to focus on containing the blaze and protecting nearby homes.
“We immediately started conducting firefighting operations, stretched hoselines and protected the buildings next door,” Esposito said. “Due to the amount of the fire, we were not able to enter the fire building or conduct any searches.”
During the response, an explosion linked to the fire injured several NYPD officers at the scene. Their injuries were described as minor.
The hazardous conditions kept firefighters operating defensively as flames consumed the structure.
Massive emergency response deployed
More than 300 fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene as the incident escalated to five alarms, one of the highest levels of response for a structure fire.
Officials said crews will remain on scene throughout the day to continue searches and ensure the fire is fully extinguished.
The scale of the response highlights both the intensity of the fire and the risks faced by first responders in large residential blazes.
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Key Points
• 5-alarm fire in Queens damaged home and triggered explosion injuring officers
• More than 300 FDNY and EMS personnel responded to early-morning blaze
• Firefighters initially unable to enter structure due to heavy fire conditions
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Cause under investigation
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and officials have not yet said whether anyone was inside the home at the time the fire started.
Authorities are expected to continue examining the scene as conditions allow, including searching the structure once it is deemed safe to enter.
What happens next
The fire scene remains active as FDNY crews conduct searches and investigators work to determine the origin of the blaze. No additional injuries have been reported, and the investigation is ongoing.