The fire started just before 3 p.m. on 93rd St. between Astoria Boulevard and 30 Ave in Jackson Heights. Where exactly the flames started is under investigation, but witnesses say it appears to have started in a yard.
The wind fanned the flames into two homes and created a situation so intense that firefighters had to get themselves out of danger. Some firefighters became trapped above the fire, forcing them to deploy an emergency escape rope
Yesenia Pifferrer's home went up in flames. Pifferrer says her teenage son, who has autism and is nonverbal, is the family's hero. She says he saw the flames outside the window before anyone else and warned them -- giving them a chance to get out before the flames reached their house.
"My son is pointing between the houses to the back, and then when I look, I see, like, flames, and then at that point I ran. I told my husband, 'We have to get out, there's a fire.' And then I leashed all my dogs, we went out - we ran out. My husband grabbed the cats, and then everywhere we were all screaming for everybody to get out," Pifferrer said.
"The flames were already engulfed. They engulfed this house, and the other house, and it was spreading to the garage. The neighbors just started turning on their hoses and trying to refrain the fire from moving forward," said neighbor Patricia Diaz.
Diaz says the firefighters' actions were remarkable given the windy conditions. There was even a collapse that they had to deal with.
Three of the firefighters suffered serious injuries. The others, including the 2 civilians, had minor injuries. None are life-threatening, officials said.
Everyone who lives in the houses got out safely -- a lot of pets did, too.
The cause of the wind-driven four-alarm fire is under investigation, but the FDNY said there was nothing immediately suspicious about it at the time.
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