Jackson Heights fire displaces hundreds of tenants

A fire burned through the night inside a Jackson Heights building Tuesday. Photo via FDNY

By Rachel Vick

An eight-alarm fire ravaged a Jackson Heights building overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, displacing hundreds of residents, officials said. 

The blaze spread through a space below the roof of the building at 89-07 34th Avenue, accelerating and consuming one side of the 150-unit complex, the FDNY said. The fire accelerated after the occupant of the apartment left the door open when fleeing, according to the FDNY. The fire forced 240 tenants from 90 units to flee the building. 

“This is a very complicated and prolonged operation. Heavy smoke and heavy heat conditions,” said FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Michael Gala. “This is a significant fire.”

At least five tenants and 16 firefighters sustained non-threatening injuries, the FDNY said Tuesday.

Local community groups and emergency management teams have begun providing assistance to the displaced residents.

The 89th Street Tenants Union started a GoFundMe page for the affected families, and neighbors set up a supply drive in a nearby courtyard to help supply families with essential items. 

“A community made up of majority low-income, working class, immigrant essential workers, already experiencing the aftermath of COVID-19 are now without their homes,” neighbor Jesus Puerto wrote on the fundraising page.

As of 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, the online fundraiser had generated more than $75,000 in donations. (Update: 8:37 a.m. April 8 — the fundraiser is over $188,000).

“It's hard to express the deep sadness we felt tonight as we looked into our neighbors eyes and asked how we could help,” Puerto said. “We know that it will take a while before our neighbors and their families are back to what they knew as normal.” 

The Red Cross has also helped find temporary housing for the evacuated residents.

The FDNY has not yet reported the exact cause of the fire.