24 The QUEE NS Courier • january 15, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com Fire guts Whitestone home, kills family’s beloved dogs BY ERIC JANKIEWICZ [email protected] @ericjankiewicz Flames gutted a Whitestone house on the afternoon of Jan. 14, leaving the three-story home a smoldering shell and taking the lives of the owners’ two pet dogs. “My two dogs were killed and they were the most valuable things I had,” said James King, who with his wife owned the house at 149-61 Powells Cove Blvd. King and his wife were out of the house when the Fire Department called him about the fire. But the couple’s shih tzu dogs, Benjamin and Chip, were inside the home, where they died in the blaze. According to neighbor Ray Colalillo, the fire started in the rear of the home, which faces Martin A. Funeral Home L.L.C. – Call for a FREE Planning Guide – • Our Services are available in all areas • Large Parking Facilities at all Locations • Personal Service, 24 Hours a Day • Burial and Cremation Services Available • Family Owned and Operated • FDIC Insured Pre-Plan Accounts • Pre-Arrangements Available • Out of Town Service, Call Us First • Shipping Specialists John A. Golden: Member of K. of C. and C*KHS; Thomas A. Golden III: Member AOH, KHS (Owner, Operators) the East River, at 1:30 p.m. and quickly moved through the front of the building as strong winds stoked the flames. The Fire Department characterized the fire as a “two-alarm” blaze, and it took an hour for firefighters to extinguish the fire. When the firefighters arrived, they swiftly broke through the front windows and jumped into the blazing home, according to Colalillo. “At first I saw smoke from my window,” Colalillo said. “And then pretty soon flames were bursting out of the windows and skylights. By then I called the cops. Within five minutes firefighters were here and they moved quick.” The Fire Department is still investigating the cause of the fire. King’s son and daughter, who are now adults and no longer live at the house, looked on as firefighters picked through the wreckage of the home they grew up in. 149-20 Northern Boulevard • Flushing • 718-359-6300 10-25 150th Street • Whitestone • 718-359-1122 36-46 Bell Boulevard • Bayside • 718-428-2210 Please Visit Our Website @ www.gleasonsfuneral.com Martin A. Gleason Funeral Home L.L.C.: The Preferred Choice Oil & Bioheat fuel. Savings. Service. Value. Oil Heat • Pricing plan options to suit your needs • SmartPay budget payment plan to help manage oil costs all year Ultra Low Sulfur Bioheat Fuel • Helps your system reduce air emissions by over 70% • Improves effi ciency for less maintenance & cleaner environment Call today for special offers! 1.866.539.5361 Oil | Natural Gas Heating | Cooling petro.com petro mobile connect on Additional terms and conditions may apply. Some services may not be available in all areas. NYC Lic. No. 1314079. ©2014 Petro. P_14473 Photo courtesy of Ray Colalillo THE COURIER/Photo by Eric Janiewicz
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