By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• An apartment where a four-alarm fire killed four people in Flushing, Queens, had a history of safety complaints, violations and a vacate order, officials said.
• Neighbors and former residents reported longstanding building issues, including electrical hazards and unsafe conditions.
• Fire officials said the unit where the fire started had been the subject of previous violations and complaints.
• Investigators continue to examine the blaze as neighbors and authorities seek answers about code compliance and occupancy.

FLUSHING, NY — The Queens apartment building where a four-alarm fire killed four people in March had a documented history of safety complaints, code violations and an official vacate order, neighbors and records show.

Officials and residents said the structure on College Point Boulevard had drawn longstanding concerns about electrical issues, inadequate maintenance and other hazards prior to the March 16 blaze that claimed multiple lives, including a child.

Public buildings records and neighborhood accounts show that the apartment where the fire originated had been the focus of previous violations issued by city inspectors, and a vacate order had been registered for unsafe conditions. Some former residents and neighbors described chaotic conditions and unauthorized occupancy prior to the fire, authorities reported.

Following the March blaze, fire officials said they are continuing their investigation into the cause of the fire and inspection records as part of a broader review of building safety compliance. Local authorities noted that code enforcement and inspection follow-ups are ongoing as the community seeks additional information on prior complaints and mitigation actions.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• A four-alarm fire in Flushing, Queens, killed four people, including a child, on March 16, FDNY officials said.
• The blaze began in a third-floor apartment of a mixed-use building on College Point Boulevard shortly before 12:30 p.m.
• Multiple residents were injured, and several firefighters sustained minor injuries during operations.
• Neighbors reported the apartment where the fire started may have been occupied by squatters using unsafe electrical setups; the cause remains under investigation.

FLUSHING, NY — Four people, including a child, were killed in a fast-moving four-alarm fire that tore through a mixed-use building in Queens on March 16, according to the Fire Department of New York.

The fire broke out shortly before 12:30 p.m. in a third-floor apartment of a structure on College Point Boulevard near Avery Avenue. Firefighters arrived within minutes to find heavy fire conditions throughout the building, officials said.

Three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while a fourth died after being transported to a hospital. At least five additional civilians were hospitalized, including two in critical condition. Several occupants jumped from windows to escape the flames, and EMS personnel performed CPR on victims outside the building.

During firefighting operations, two firefighters fell through a collapsed stairway but were quickly rescued and reported in stable condition. In total, six firefighters sustained minor injuries, officials said.

Neighbors told authorities the apartment where the fire originated may have been occupied by squatters, with reports of multiple occupants using extension cords connected to a single outlet. Fire officials said approximately 230 firefighters and EMS personnel responded, bringing the blaze under control in about two hours.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• A Newark firefighter suffered burns to the face, hands and wrists while battling an early-morning apartment fire March 17, officials said.
• Crews responded to 319 Hawthorne Ave. around 3:59 a.m. and rescued an unresponsive man from a first-floor unit.
• The civilian victim was transported to a hospital in critical condition, while the firefighter was hospitalized in stable condition.
• The fire was brought under control within about 20 minutes, and the cause remains under investigation.

NEWARK, NJ — A Newark firefighter was injured while battling an early-morning apartment fire that also left one civilian in critical condition, according to city officials.

Firefighters were dispatched at approximately 3:59 a.m. March 17 to a reported fire at 319 Hawthorne Ave. Crews arriving on scene rescued an unresponsive man from a first-floor apartment, authorities said.

The victim was transported to University Hospital and was reported in critical condition. One firefighter was also taken to an area hospital after sustaining burns to the face, hands and wrists, and was listed in stable condition.

Officials said the fire was brought under control by about 4:18 a.m. Two residents were displaced and relocated following the incident.

The Newark Public Safety Department’s Arson Unit is investigating the cause of the fire.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• A West Hurley, New York assistant fire chief extinguished a trailer fire while operating alone as most personnel were assigned to a parade, officials said.
• The fire was reported around 12:50 p.m. March 15 on Bundy Lane, with flames extending several feet from the trailer.
• First Assistant Chief Garry Chislett responded solo, using an engine-mounted deck gun to knock down the fire before additional crews arrived.
• No injuries were reported, and all animals were safely evacuated; the cause remains under investigation.

WEST HURLEY, NY — A West Hurley fire official extinguished a fast-moving trailer fire while operating alone as most of the department’s personnel were committed to a nearby parade, fire officials said.

The fire was reported around 12:50 p.m. March 15 at a trailer on Bundy Lane, where neighbors observed smoke coming from the structure. The resident was not home at the time of the incident, according to officials.

First Assistant Chief Garry Chislett responded by himself, retrieving an engine and initiating fire attack prior to the arrival of additional crews. Upon arrival, he encountered flames extending several feet from one end of the trailer, officials said.

Chislett used a deck gun to knock down the fire and limit extension, helping preserve part of the structure until additional firefighters arrived and continued interior operations.

No injuries were reported, and all animals inside the trailer were able to escape safely. The structure sustained damage, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials said.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• A Providence firefighter was seriously injured after falling about 10 feet down an elevator shaft during a rescue at a senior housing complex on March 16.
• Crews were responding to a power outage that left residents trapped in an elevator at Sister Dominica Manor on Atwells Avenue.
• The firefighter suffered head and leg injuries and was transported to a trauma center, where he was reported alert and expected to recover.
• The outage was caused by a fallen tree branch on power lines, and the incident remains under review.

PROVIDENCE, RI — A veteran Providence firefighter was seriously injured after falling approximately 10 feet down an elevator shaft while responding to a rescue call at a senior housing complex, fire officials said.

The incident occurred March 16 at Sister Dominica Manor on Atwells Avenue, where crews were dispatched for a power outage that had trapped residents inside an elevator, according to authorities.

During the operation, the firefighter lost footing and fell into the elevator shaft. He sustained head and leg injuries and was transported to Rhode Island Hospital’s trauma center, officials said.

Fire officials reported the firefighter was alert and conscious following the fall and is expected to recover.

The power outage affecting the building was attributed to a tree branch that fell onto nearby power lines, according to utility officials. The incident remains under review.

The Briefing
• A Boston firefighter was hospitalized following injuries sustained while fighting a two-alarm fire that destroyed a three-deck residential structure.
• The blaze was reported in the Dorchester neighborhood just before 3 a.m., and crews encountered heavy fire upon arrival, officials said.
• Firefighters made a search of the building; no civilian injuries were reported.
• The cause of the fire remains under investigation by fire officials.

BOSTON, MA — A Boston firefighter was hospitalized following injuries while battling a two-alarm fire that destroyed a three-deck residential building early March 2026, fire officials said.

The fire was reported just before 3 a.m. in the Dorchester neighborhood, and responding crews encountered heavy fire conditions upon arrival at the three-story structure, according to the Boston Fire Department.

Firefighters conducted searches of the building and worked to bring the blaze under control, elevating the response to two alarms as additional units were requested.

One firefighter was injured during operations and transported to a local hospital for treatment; no civilian injuries were reported, officials said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Boston Fire Department’s fire marshal’s office.