Fatal Queens House Fire Deemed Triple Homicide, Police Say
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A fatal house fire in Queens is now being investigated as a triple homicide, police said Saturday.
The fire happened just after 11:50 p.m. on Nov. 21 at a home on 110th Road in St. Albans.
After firefighters extinguished the flames, they found three men dead inside the house.
It's believed the men were squatters.
Neighbors told CBS2 they had seen people going in and out of the home, presumably to get out of the cold.
"They don't want to go to a shelter or whatever. They chose an abandoned home," said neighbor Linda Wong. "It's a human being, you know. You don't got to die like that… I'm distraught. I'm just praying for them. You know, it's sad, it's terrible."
Department of Buildings' records show several recent complaints about squatters. Documents say the FDNY ordered the home to be boarded up a few years ago, but it's unclear if that ever happened.
No one has been arrested. Police say the victims' identities are not being released at this time.
The investigation is ongoing.
