12 People Injured and 3 Restaurants ‘Destroyed’ in Queens Fire

An early morning five-alarm fire burned through a Sunnyside strip mall, leaving 12 people injured and at least three restaurants in ruins, according to the New York Fire Department.

Flames began around 2 a.m. inside the New York Style Eats diner at 45-02 Queens Blvd., between 45th and 46th Streets, and quickly spread to nearby businesses like the UPS Store and at least two other restaurants, Sunnyside Post reports. The fire reportedly engulfed American restaurant and bar Sidetracks as well as Vietnamese noodle and coffee shop Zen Yai.

The restaurants and at least three other businesses were under flames this morning, and most of the building appears to be “completely destroyed,” according to Sunnyside Post.

Fire officials say at least 12 people — seven of them firefighters — were injured. The injuries are not considered to be life-threatening. The fire shut down Queens Boulevard from 44th to 47th Streets, according to ABC7 News. It was brought under control at 8 a.m., and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The Queens Chamber of Commerce tells Eater it’s ready to help the affected businesses — including the restaurants — with relocation services and whatever else they may need to recover. The group is in talks with the NYC’s Department of Small Business Services and the national Small Business Administration for additional assistance.

The FDNY released the following images and video on Twitter showing the magnitude of the fire’s destruction:

Others near the scene also caught the devastating destruction on camera:

• Massive Fire Destroys Sunnyside Businesses, 12 Injured [Sunnyside Post]
• 7 firefighters, 5 civilians hurt in Sunnyside, Queens fire [ABC7 NY]