FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com APRIL 24, 2014 • THE COURIER SUN 11 FIVE-ALARM FIRE ENGULFS JACKSON HEIGHTS BUILDING, INJURING NINE BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA AND ANGY ALTAMIRANO editorial@queenscourier.com A fi ve-alarm fi re broke out at a Jackson Heights building that houses a college and several businesses, leaving nine people injured. The blaze was reported about 5:45 p.m. on Monday, April 21, at the 74-09 37th Ave. building’s third and fourth fl oors, the FDNY said. By 10 p.m. it had grown to fi ve alarms, with 44 units and around 200 fi refi ghters responding. It was fi nally under control at about 11:40 p.m., according to fi re offi cials. An FDNY spokesman said nine people sustained minor injuries as a result of the fi re, including seven fi refi ghters and a police offi cer. The ninth victim, according to published reports, was a child from a nearby building who was taken to the hospital for evaluation. The community’s “biggest immigrant service provider,” Queens Community House, an LGBT senior center, Plaza College and about 50 other offi ces, stores and businesses were located inside the fi re-damaged structure, according to Councilman Daniel Dromm. “This is a devastating fi re for our community,” Dromm said. “I have spoken to the business owners, many who I know personally, and the effect on their establishments is truly horrible. Thankfully, there were no fatalities. We will rebuild and come back as a better and stronger Jackson Heights.” Charles Callahan, president of Plaza College, said classes were not in session when the fi re began and he has not been informed of the cause of the fi re on the partially vacant fl oors. “All faculty, staff and students were safely evacuated from the building,” a post on the school’s Facebook page said. It added there will be “no services of any type” at the college Tuesday. Plaza College, which has about 750 students, has been located in the building since 1971 and has been planning to move to Forest Hills in September 2014. Classes were expected to begin in May. However, at the moment, school offi cials are surveying nearby sites to fi nd a temporary location for the school until September. “We want to help students ensure that they aren’t misplaced. I’m sure we’ll get through this,” Callahan said. “My heart goes out because this has been my home for all these years.” The cause of the blaze is still under investigation and fi refi ghters were still at the scene as a precaution as of Tuesday morning, according to the FDNY. Photo by Riyad Hasan Banking while on-the-go. Flushing Bank Flexible DepositTM Saves Time, Easy, and Free* – Deposit checks into your Flushing Bank account from your iPhone® or AndroidTM device or your PC with a desktop scanner. Banking anywhere, anytime. Flushing Bank Mobile Banking Fast, Secure, and Free* – Manage your accounts on the go with your mobile device. Pay bills, view account balances and history, transfer funds to/from Flushing Bank accounts, and more. Now you can enjoy the flexibility and convenience of banking while on-the-go with Flushing Bank Flexible Deposit and Flushing Bank Mobile Banking. For more information visit your local Flushing Bank branch, go to www.FlushingBank.com or call 800.581.2889. *There is no charge to use Flushing Bank Flexible Deposit and Flushing Bank Mobile Banking, but the Bank’s standard account fees will apply and data and messaging rates may apply from your wireless provider. Flexible Deposit is for personal checking, statement savings or money market accounts only. Account(s) must be in good standing. Subject to eligibility. Deposit limits and other restrictions apply. Flushing Bank Flexible Deposit and Mobile Banking are available to all Flushing Bank online banking users. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark
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