Queens Five-Alarm Fire Injures 6, Displaces 29

A five-alarm fire tore through a three-story multifamily home in Queens early Tuesday, injuring five firefighters and one civilian while displacing nearly 30 families, officials reported. The blaze erupted around 3:25 a.m. on Madison Street near Seneca and Onderdonk avenues in Ridgewood, marking the second major fire in New York City in as many days.

Fire Department of New York officials described a rapid escalation as flames spread from the first floor to all levels of the building, causing the roof to collapse and extending to adjacent structures. Chief of Department John Esposito said firefighters encountered heavy fire upon arrival and had to vacate four nearby buildings for safety. "We eventually had fire on all floors in the fire building," Esposito told reporters at a press conference. At its peak, more than 270 firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics from 84 units responded to battle the inferno, which took about three hours to bring under control, though hot spots lingered into the morning.

Among the injuries, one firefighter was struck in the head by a falling window air conditioner during the chaotic scene, leaving him conscious and alert but in...