‘Devastated’ by fire
A massive fire tore through a row of Queens storefronts early Saturday, trapping two firefighters under a collapsed roof and decimating several shops in a matter of minutes.
One of the two FDNY firefighters was rushed to the hospital with severe burns after the 2:15 a.m. blaze in Queens Village that left shop owners stunned hours later.
“We lost everything in a matter of a … minute. We were in bed and someone from the community called and told me what’s going on,” Ralph Torres, co-owner of Beatriz Dominican Salon, said as he looked over the gutted remains of his family shop on Springfield Blvd.
“This is something me and my wife built,” Torres, 56, said. “We devastated. We devastated man. You build something and you lose it overnight, it’s gone.”
Two other businesses near 112th Ave. were scorched along with the hair salon, including the Springfield Cutz Barbershop and Spring Pharmacy.
FDNY fire marshals were still trying to determine Saturday where and how the fire started. Firefighters were directed to the barbershop by 911 calls, but FDNY Assistant Chief of Department Joseph Jardin noted that the fire was heaviest in the salon, whose roof also partially collapsed.
Firefighters were in the back of the barbershop when its burning ceiling gave way, trapping two smoke-eaters inside, said Jardin.
“A portion of the roof collapsed, trapping two of our members initially,” Jardin said at the scene. “They discovered the members under a 20-foot-by-20-foot section of wood joisted roof, a heavy section of roof with fire in proximity where the member was trapped.”
One of the rescued firefighters was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell with severe burns, Jardin said. The other was taken to North Shore University Hospital with serious injuries. A third firefighter also sustained minor injuries.
“It was smoke and fire. That’s all you see smoke and fire everywhere,” said a worker at the nearby New World Deli, who had to evacuate because of the intense flames.
Eddie Duran, who lives across the street, watched in horror as the blaze ripped through the stores.
“I saw flames coming out through the roof and everything from the salon and barbershop,” recalled Duran, who said his family got their hair done at the Beatriz Dominican Salon. “It’s our community, it’s really sad. The workers were really good people.”
Torres said he and his wife opened the hair salon about four years ago. The pharmacy, he said, had been closed during the pandemic, but the salon and the barbershop recently reopened.
His wife, Beatrice, ran the salon with four other workers, said Torres.
“She’s in the house hysterical, Man,” he said. “The business is ours, but that’s her profession. Everything just got messed up.”
More than 200 firefighters and EMS members were called in, with the blaze doused by 5:30 a.m. No other injuries were reported. An FDNY source said the fire did not appear be suspicious.
Torres said his wife has had a passion for styling hair since she was 16 years old. Despite the massive setback, the pair plans to rebuild.
“We got knocked down real hard,” Torres said. “My main concern is rebuilding and try to build the community back to how we had it.”