NYPD, FDNY investigate two fires in Forest Hills inside homes under construction

Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Two suspicious fires within days in Forest Hills
AJ Ross reports from Forest Hills.

FOREST HILLS, N.Y. (WABC) -- Two suspicious fires that happened just days apart and less than a mile apart have fire marshals now investigating.

The most recent blaze happened Tuesday evening at a home that is under construction on 66th Avenue.

The fire is now under control, but arson investigators were still on scene Tuesday night.

"This thing looked like a bon fire, like, it was like a 30-foot flame, it was crazy," a neighbor said.

Frantic neighbors say huge vicious flames quickly swept through the newly built Forest Hills home early Tuesday evening, challenging firefighters who arrived within minutes.

Sean Lukach says he went door-to-door to nearby homes to make sure everyone got out safe.

"I smelled smoke from over there and I saw an orange hue, and as I was coming home I saw it and I just reacted off instinct," Lukach said.

Fortunately no one was injured, but fire marshals are now investigating with this marking the second home under construction to go up in flames in just the past 10 days.

The other home 68th Drive was deemed suspicious by the fire chief because of the large volume of fire.

"We're very concerned, we're very concerned," said Janet Borukhov, a resident.

The official cause of both fires remains under investigation.

Police tweeted out that they are investigating the circumstances of both fires.