The fire broke out around 2:15 a.m. Thursday at the address for New York Style Eats on Queens Boulevard, causing part of the building to collapse.<\/b>
\nNEW YORK (CBSNewYork) \u2013 Firefighters are battling a blaze that spread to several commercial buildings overnight in Sunnyside, Queens.
The fire broke out around 2:15 a.m. Thursday at the address for New York Style Eats on Queens Boulevard, causing part of the building to collapse.
Officials said at least 12 people were hurt, including seven firefighters. One civilian\u2019s injuries were described as serious.
The flames spread to five other structures, and nearby buildings were evacuated.
One pet store owner told CBS2\u2019s Jenna DeAngelis he\u2019s worried about his business, where about two dozen dogs are inside. He said he called a veterinarian to help him remove the animals.
\u201cIt\u2019s sad, it\u2019s sad, because it traveled so quick and it could get to my animals. That\u2019s the main thing,\u201d Steven DiSimone said. \u201cThe good thing is the fire department is doing a wonderful job.
\u201cBut there was a big explosion. I saw almost three firefighters blew out from the basement out to the ground,\u201d said resident Eric Guvercin. \u201cOne of the fire department guys picked up his helmet and he ran back there to do his job,\u201d he added. \u201cI feel bad that I have to see this, because the holidays are coming up now.\u201d
The owner of the building told DeAngelis many of the businesses have been there for 20 years and the building has been in his family for three generations.
The Office of Emergency Management urges drivers to avoid the area.<\/p>\n