NEW YORK — Three people were killed in a four-alarm fire at a multi-story building in Flushing, Queens.
The fire was reported just before 12:30 p.m. on College Point Boulevard on March 16, where apartments sit above a commercial space, according to FDNY officials.
“Upon arrival, we had heavy fire on all three floors of this building,” FDNY Chief of Fire Operations Kevin Woods said.
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As flames spread through the building, crews saw three people jump from an upper floor.
The FDNY is operating at a 4-alarm fire at 44-49 College Point Boulevard. pic.twitter.com/U62eL4cGQp
— FDNY (@FDNY) March 16, 2026
Woods said another person was trapped on the second floor and was removed by firefighters using a portable ladder. As crews moved from the first floor up the stairs, the interior staircase collapsed, briefly trapping two firefighters before they were rescued.
The FDNY said the firefighters who fell through the stairs were later extricated by other firefighters.
“With additional help, we were able to extricate those members and we gave an additional signal called a 1066 to get more resources here to the scene. As all that is happening, other members are per are performing CPR on the victims in the street. There is heavy, heavy damage to this building. This fire is now under control,” Woods said.
Nine people were injured overall, including two adults and one child. Five firefighters were hospitalized in stable condition.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
