QUEENS — Fire marshals are investigating the cause of a suspicious fire that engulfed a Forest Hills home under construction and damaged two adjacent houses on Sunday night, FDNY officials said.
No injuries were reported, fire officials said.
The flames broke out around 7:30 p.m. at the vacant home on 112th Street, between 68th Drive and 69th Avenue, which was "under construction for extension," according to the FDNY and Department of Buildings.
The three-alarm fire quickly spread to two nearby homes and their residents had to be evacuated, the FDNY and DOB said.
Queens: *3 Alarm Fire* Box 9145, 68-66 112 St. U/D; Video of 3rd alarm by @shameonyoumy pic.twitter.com/EnH2uUhNHa
— New York City Alerts (@NYCityAlerts) November 9, 2015It took 140 firefighters about an hour and 20 minutes to put out the fire, the FDNY said.
Sources said the fire was considered suspicious because of the large volume of flames, but an FDNY spokesman said Monday morning that the cause of the fire was still under investigation.
The house that originally caught fire totally collapsed, according to the DOB, and the agency placed a full vacate order on the two other damaged buildings.
The residents of the affected homes were relocated, according to the DOB.
Red Cross teams were at the scene but "no residents were in need of assistance," a spokesman for the Red Cross said Monday.
Please avoid the area of 112 Street and 69 Avenue due to a residential fire #112pct pic.twitter.com/YRSMAO109k
— NYPD 112th Precinct (@NYPD112Pct) November 9, 2015
