An 83-year-old man died Sunday evening after a fire tore through a Queens apartment building in Elmhurst, where firefighters said their response was slowed by a vehicle blocking a nearby hydrant and another hydrant that was frozen, as reported by The New York Post.
The blaze broke out just before 7:20 p.m. at an apartment complex on 78th Street between Broadway and Woodside Avenue, according to the FDNY. Nearly 90 EMS personnel and firefighters responded to the scene.
During search operations inside the building, firefighters located an elderly man unconscious and unresponsive with severe injuries, police and fire officials said.
More than 230 FDNY firefighters and EMS personnel responded as flames tore through a subdivided Elmhurst home and an exposure https://t.co/QjLMepfKCN
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He was found in the rear bedroom of an apartment unit on the sixth floor, where officials described “heavy fire” and “heavy smoke conditions on the whole top floor.”
The victim was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the NYPD.
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FDNY Deputy Chief Jeff Meister addressed reporters at the scene, describing the conditions crews encountered as they worked to control the flames and search for victims.
As firefighters worked to stretch hose lines and get water onto the fire, they ran into problems with hydrants outside the building. One hydrant was frozen, and another was blocked by a vehicle parked directly in front of it.
“It seems to be an issue throughout the city where residents are parking on hydrants,” Meister said.
He stressed that blocked hydrants can have serious consequences for fire operations.
“When vehicles are parked at a hydrant, it definitely impedes our operations. It slows everything down. Getting water on the fire fast is a critical part of our jobs,” Meister said.
“When vehicles are parked on a hydrant, it definitely impedes our operation and slows everything down,” said Deputy Chief Meister.
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The department did not immediately release the identity of the victim pending family notification.
Officials have not yet determined what sparked the fire. Authorities said the cause remains under investigation.
The Elmhurst neighborhood, located in western Queens, has seen multiple residential fires in recent years, though it is unclear whether this incident is connected to any previous cases.
Sunday’s blaze drew a large emergency response, with crews working for an extended period to extinguish the flames and secure the building.
Fire officials reiterated the importance of keeping hydrants clear, noting that rapid access to water is essential when responding to heavy fire conditions in multi-story residential buildings.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
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