4-Alarm Fire Rips Through Queens Laundromat, Injures 15

NY1 News 8/16/09

Investigators are looking into the cause of a massive fire at a commercial building in Queens last night that sent more than a dozen people to the hospital.

Fire officials say the flames started shortly before 12:30 p.m. inside the two-story building at 108th Street and 49th Avenue in Corona.

The bottom floor was a laundromat and the top floor was a clothing store. The second floor collapsed shortly after the fire started.

At one point, there were about 200 firefighters on the scene.

"Not being able to get in the building, it was a very difficult fire to fight. The heat doesn't help. It was pretty inaccessible to us. We had a hard time knocking it down," said FDNY Deputy Chief Douglas Gehrt.

Fifteen people, including 11 firefighters, were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Two other people refused medical attention.

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