A 34-year-old woman died in the basement of the building on Dongan Avenue in Elmhurst.
A second person, possibly a child, believed to live there remains unaccounted for.
Firefighters rescued at least two other people by ladder but flames forced three or four others to jump to safety from the back of the two-and-a-half story building before it collapsed.
The fire started at dinner time on Monday around 6:45 p.m. on the first floor of the home before it quickly spread to two others.
Several streets were shut down for safety.
"We live two blocks away and the ashes came into the windows," said neighbor Tracey Zang. "So we have to clean up a little bit but it's bad."
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries and a 22-year-old man, with burns over nearly his entire body, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Two children were also taken to the hospital but were said to be stable.
In all, there are 47 survivors and displaced residents from a total of three buildings.
An investigator with the Department of Buildings found that one of the buildings where the fire spread had an illegal unit in the attic.
The DOB said that the home where the fire first started has to be torn down.
The identity of the 34-year-old victim has not been released.
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