(New York-WABC , December 9, 2004) -- Crews are still at the scene of a fire at a luxury high rise building in Queens Thursday morning. At least 36 people, including several firefighters, are injured. Eyewitness News reporter Ken Rosato is in the Glenn Oaks section with the story.
We have heard this a million times before: You shouldn't smoke at all, but especially never in bed. That is what is believed to have lead to this serious three alarm fire.
At 1:45 a.m. firefighters say they were called to the North Shore Towers complex in Glenn Oaks, Queens. It's where New York Senator Chuck Schumer's mom lives, though she wasn't involved directly with this at all.
Authorities believe a woman in her 80s, smoking in bed, set her mattress on fire. She was able to escape before the entire apartment went up.
Ken Rosato, Eyewitness News: "We are hearing it could have been a cigarette with a mattress. What indicates it might have been a cigarette?" Firefighter: "The system in her apartment was in good operating order. We were able to rule out electrical. She was known as a heavy smoker and had an ashtray near the bed."
In all 36 people were hurt, 19 of them firefighters. Eight of those firefighters were hurt badly enough to be taken to the burn unit at Cornell Medical Center.
Seventeen residents were treated for smoke inhalation at nearby hospitals.
Everyone who was evacuated from the third and fourth floors was allowed to return to their units this morning.
