Queens firefighters who answered a call of fireworks going off inside a family residence found themselves in the middle of a shooting gallery yesterday, as rounds of ammunition exploded in a blaze that gutted an apartment.
Police said five bullets shot throughout the second-floor apartment at 146-20 34th Ave. in Flushing after a faulty air conditioner short-circuited, sparking the blaze.
Police discovered nine assault-style weapons, including a Mac-10, AR-15, AK47 and an M-16 Uzi, along with three handcarts of ammo. Owner John Vivanco had a valid permit for one of the guns, cops said.
Vivanco, 37, was not at home at the time, but his mother was.
Neighbors said the woman ran out of the building, calling for help.
Police questioned Vivanco when he returned.
He was later charged with eight counts of weapons possession, reckless endangerment and possession of ammunition in excess of 200 rounds.
Police recovered about 2,700 rounds of ammo inside the house.
Vivanco has no prior criminal record.
"It's a case of an obsessive collector," a police source said.
Mike Gomez, 47, who lives across the street, said Vivanco is an avid gun collector and an artist who has lived with his mother in the apartment for 10 years.
"John is a great guy," he said. "He was most likely a target shooter."
