Elmhurst, Queens House Fire Incident

Elmhurst, Queens House Fire Incident

A house fire broke out in Elmhurst, Queens, at a home located on Dongan Avenue near Broadway. The incident occurred on Monday night, just before 7 p.m. The fire was reported with flames initially coming out of the first floor.

The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) responded to the scene, classifying it as a four-alarm fire. More than 200 firefighters were involved in the response. The fire took place in bitter cold conditions.

One person was killed in the fire: a 34-year-old woman who was found dead in the basement. Nine people were injured, with six rushed to the hospital, including one in critical condition. Among the victims were two children aged 10 and 13. At the height of the fire, two people were reported missing and likely in the basement. One person remained unaccounted for after the incident.

Evacuations and rescues included four people who jumped out of rear windows. Two people were rescued from the second floor. A specialized rescue unit searched the basement through 3-4 feet of water.

The cause of the fire is unclear and remains under investigation.

The Elmhurst, Queens House Fire (Dongan Avenue incident) occurred on February 9, 2026, and is distinct from other recent fires in the area.

FDNY Response Timeline

• 6:44 p.m.: The FDNY received the initial 911 call reporting a fire on the first floor of a residential building (reported addresses include 83-32 Dongan Avenue, 83-33 Dongan Avenue, or nearby on Dongan Avenue between Poyer Street and Broadway in Elmhurst, Queens). Arriving units found heavy fire on the first and second floors.
• Shortly after arrival (following initial response): Firefighters rescued five people. Shortly thereafter, the fire extended to two neighboring homes, prompting transmission of a fourth alarm. This escalated the response to a four-alarm fire, involving a total of 74 units and 231 firefighters and EMS personnel.
• Throughout the evening (progression noted around 8:25 p.m. onward in operational updates): FDNY operations included six handlines and one tower ladder in use, with efforts to knock down fire in the primary building and exposures. A localized collapse occurred in one exposure building. Special calls were made for relief battalion chiefs around midnight.
• 1:10 a.m. (February 10, 2026): The fire was brought under control, more than six hours after the initial 911 call. At this point, all members were removed from the primary fire building due to stability concerns and prior collapse; three handlines and one tower ladder remained in operation for final knockdown of pockets of fire.

The original CBS News article (updated February 10, 2026, at 5:42 a.m. EST) described the incident as occurring “just before 7 p.m.” on Monday night with more than 200 firefighters responding but did not provide additional granular timeline details beyond the initial report and classification as a four-alarm fire. Other sources consistently align on the 6:44 p.m. report time and 1:10 a.m. under control status. The cause remains under investigation.