Thomas Tracy
New York Daily News
NEW YORK — A massive blaze tore through a row of Queens stores early Friday, injuring seven firefighters called in to beat back the flames, officials said.
The fire erupted inside a restaurant on 74th St. near Roosevelt Ave. in Jackson Heights just before 11 p.m. Thursday and quickly spread to adjoining storefronts, officials said.
“We responded within four minutes to find heavy fire in the restaurant occupancy,” FDNY Assistant Chief John Hodgens said. “The fire had extended from the basement to the upper level above the ceiling called the cockloft and spread to numerous stores down the street.”
The four-alarm fire raged for four and a half hours before being extinguished around 4:15 a.m., Hodgens said. About 170 firefighters were called in to put out the blaze.
Seven firefighters were sent to nearby hospitals with minor injuries, officials said. None of the stores were open when the blaze broke out and no civilian injuries were reported.
FDNY fire marshals were investigating the cause of the fire Friday.
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