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March 25 - March 31, 2022
Five-alarm fire leads to ‘severe damage’ to
one-story building on Flushing’s Main Street
BY BILL PARRY
FDNY personnel said the
massive, five-alarm fire on
Main Street in Flushing was
“placed under control” just
before 11:30 a.m. on March 17,
but disruptions persist in the
commercial corridor.
The one-story building at the
East Commercial Plaza on Main
Street has significant structural
damage due to a collapsed
roof, and firefighters continue
to extinguish fires in the debris.
The fire broke out in a market
located at 50-10 Main St. just
after 6 a.m. on March 17.
The fire required 44 units
and 198 firefighters, according
to the FDNY. There are no civilian
injuries at this time, the
FDNY said on Twitter.
The 7 train to Flushing was
suspended during the morning
rush after smoke was detected
inside the Main Street station,
which forced an evacuation,
according to the MTA.
Notify NYC warned businesses
and residents to keep
windows closed due to the heavy
smoke conditions.
FDNY Acting Chief of Operations
Richard Blatus provided
an update at midday saying
there was a partial collapse of
the ceiling and roof.
“We will be here for most of
the day, if not into the night,”
Blatus said on March 17. “Once
the fire is completely extinguished,
we will have Department
of Buildings evaluate the
structure and see what kind of
searches we can undertake. This
is a very stubborn fire. There are
Firefighters work to extinguish a five-alarm fire on Main Street in Flushing. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
approximately 30 kiosks inside.
There are currently no civilian
injuries at this time.”
He said the cause of the fire
is under investigation by FDNY
fire marshals.
Councilwoman Sandra Ung
was at the scene of the inferno
and received a briefing from
FDNY officials.
“As of right now, we have
heard there are five minor injuries,
which are being treated
at the scene,” Ung said. “As we
prepare to help the small businesses
impacted by the fire, I
am already in direct contact
with the small business services
commissioner and will continue
to monitor developments
and changes in the situation.”
She added that Main Street
between 39th Avenue and Kissena
Boulevard and Roosevelt
Avenue between Prince Street
and Union Street are currently
closed to traffic.
Shuttle buses for the 7 train
are at Main Street and Northern
Boulevard, according to the
109th Precinct in Flushing.
While firefighters continued
to knock down hotspots
throughout the afternoon, inspectors
for the city’s Department
of Buildings inspectors
conducted a preliminary structural
stability inspection and
found that the entire roof structure
had collapsed due to firerelated
damages. The neighboring
properties at 40-06 Main St.
and 40-02 Main St. have also suffered
“severe damage,” including
sections of collapsed roofing
at 40-2. The DOB’s investigation
is ongoing.
Reach reporter Bill
Parry by e-mail at
bparry@schnepsmedia.com or
by phone at (718) 260–4538.
Vol. 31 No. 12 40 total pages
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