VIDEO: Half a dozen firefighters were hurt battling an overnight Queens fire that ripped through a strip of shops, burning for over four hours overnight, the FDNY said.
According to fire officials, they got a call just before 11 p.m. Thursday for a fire at 37-54 74th Street, a long strip of single-floor businesses in Jackson Heights.
Units arrived within minutes to find heavy flames burning in a restaurant at the location, authorities said.
The fire started in the basement and extended to the cockloft, or the upper level above the ceiling, and spread to numerous stores down the block, the FDNY said.Video from the scene showed large flames shooting from the roof of the building. It appeared the stores were all closed at the time of the blaze.
Fire officials said nearly 170 firefighters responded to the blaze, which reached four-alarm status before it was finally put under control just after 4 a.m. Friday.