Firefighters have managed to put out a stubborn fire in a commercial building in the Ridgewood section of Queens.
The investigation into the cause of this five-alarm is underway. Fire marshals are inside the warehouse right now trying to figure out what set off the blaze that burned through several tons of construction materials.
The flames were shooting out of the third floor windows of the Allen Supply Warehouse. Firefighters arrived a little after 1:00 a.m. this morning. Twelve firefighters were taken to local hospitals for injuries ranging from smoke-inhalation to exhaustion. More than 200 firefighters were called to the scene at Flushing and Cypress Avenues for what turned out to be a very challenging operation.
Classic construction materials and plumbing supplies were stacked in boxes and piled from floor to ceiling making it difficult to get inside.
Edward Kilduff, Assistant Deputy Fire Chief: "It is a dense area. There was a lot of stock and a very narrow passageways and aisles throughout the storage area. It was very difficult to move our lines around."
None of the firefighters injuries are considered to be life threatening. The fire is believed to be accidental. Investigators have not ruled out arson.
