A blaze that tore through a row of century-old wood-frame homes in Flushing, Queens, on Saturday morning (July 25) has killed a 78-year-old woman and injured at least 21 others, including 17 firefighters, after flames spread rapidly across three connected buildings in the New York City borough.
The FDNY received the call at 9:52 a.m. near 41st Road and College Point Boulevard. Within less than an hour, the inferno had escalated to a five-alarm fire, prompting a massive emergency response. Officials said the fire began on the first floor of a two-story wood-frame home built in 1930, part of a row of five identical structures. By the time firefighters arrived, two buildings were already fully engulfed, with flames quickly spreading to a third.
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Wood-frame structure fueled the blaze
FDNY Chief of Fire Operations Kevin Woods explained why the fire spread so fast and became so difficult to contain. “These buildings in this row of five … they were built in 1930, so they’re all wood. Wood-frame buildings. The walls are wood, the floors are wood, the roof is also made of wood, so fire travels very, very rapidly,” said Woods. “Very difficult for us to get ahead of these fires and extinguish.”
FIVE-ALARM FLUSHING FIRE 🔥🚨 — At 132-15 41st Rd—near College Point Blvd and Frame Pl—the fire jumped to two nearby buildings as flames broke through the roof. The thick smoke had people wearing masks—or pulling shirts over their faces. This fire quickly grew to a 5-alarmer… pic.twitter.com/Y1nm7ozddt
— Darius Radzius (@DariusRadzius) July 25, 2026
More than 250 firefighters and emergency medical personnel responded to the fire. Thick smoke poured from the buildings as crews worked to contain the blaze, while several injured firefighters were treated on stretchers, with some requiring oxygen. One resident trapped on the second floor of the building where the fire started was rescued by crews.
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The FDNY confirmed that the 78-year-old woman, a resident of one of the homes, died from her injuries at the hospital; her name has not yet been released. A second resident suffered minor injuries. Of the remaining injured, 17 were firefighters who suffered heat exhaustion, smoke inhalation, and minor sprains—none life-threatening. All victims were taken to local hospitals.
The fire caused severe damage to multiple homes, displacing several families. The cause remains under investigation.
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