Several firefighters hurt, 1 seriously, battling Astoria fire
NEW YORK -- A fire at a Queens warehouse left multiple firefighters injured Wednesday.
The fire chief says it was difficult to gain entry because of how packed the warehouse was.
The blaze started around 10:15 a.m. inside a building on 31st Street near 34th Avenue.
The fire chief says crews arrived on scene to heavy fire conditions. They started attacking the blaze right away and gained entry as soon as they could.
He says the warehouse, which is 20 feet by 80 feet deep, was stacked from floor to ceiling with portable air conditioning units.
Air conditioning units were being stacked on the sidewalk to make room inside the building as crews continue to search.
The chief says commercial structures like this can be difficult to maneuver because they usually have a lot of stock and narrow walkways or aisles.
More than 100 fire and EMS personnel were on scene, including workers from surrounding stations.
Officials say there were six injuries, including a civilian. One of the firefighters is in serious condition.
While firefighters continue to monitor hotspots, the cause of this fire remains under investigation.
This blaze erupted right under the Astoria subway line. The MTA said service was not affected.
