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In July this year, a five-alarm fire broke out on 41st Road in Flushing, Queens, killing 78-year-old Chinese woman Helen Chen and injuring several others. The FDNY recently confirmed that the cause of the fire was sunlight.
Happened in Queens in July this yearflushing 78-year-old man dies after five-alarm fire on Route 41Sugar Woman Helen Chen (transliterated) died and more than 20 others were injured. More than three months after the incident, the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) recently confirmed to this newspaper that the cause of the fire was believed to be sunlight.
The fire broke out at approximately 10 a.m. on July 25 at 41 Road near College Point Boulevard in Flushing. The fire initially broke out on the first floor of the two-story home and quickly spread to nearby homes, eventually becoming a five-alarm fire. The fire spread to three attached homes on Route 41, killing one resident, injuring two residents, and causing minor injuries to 17 firefighters and two emergency personnel. The fire department dispatched a large number of rescue personnel and it took several hours to bring the fire under control.
Police later confirmed that the victim was Helen Chen, a 78-year-old Chinese woman. Earlier, a neighbor familiar with the situation said that Helen Chen had lived in the house where the fire broke out for a long time. She was the sister of the owner’s wife and had difficulty walking.
After the fire, rumors spread on social media platforms that a large number of motorcycles were kept in the house, which may have caught fire due to spontaneous combustion of lithium batteries. However, nearby neighbors said the area is mostly occupied by elderly residents, and motorcycles are rarely seen coming in and out on weekdays. Instead, piles of cardboard boxes and everyday items are often seen around the residence. Another neighbor said on social media that no explosion was heard at the time of the fire, but that the smell of the fire was indeed “poisonous” and “pungent” and “not like the smell of a burning wooden house.”
At present, the fire department has confirmed that the cause of the fire is related to burning incense, but it has not yet provided further details such as the specific use of incense, the location of the fire, and how the fire spread. It also does not say whether burning incense involves religious activities or not.
According to public property information, all three affected buildings are registered as residences. However, some netizens pointed out that Google Maps has identified the location of the fire or the place next to it as “Tangkou”.
The Municipal Fire Department reminds citizens that when burning incense sticks and using candles, they should keep the fire source away from paper, clothes and other flammable items to avoid fire.
Summary FAQ
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The New York City Fire Department recently confirmed that the level five fire that broke out on 41st Road in Flushing was caused by burning incense; Details of the use of incense, the location of the fire and the spread of the fire have not yet been announced.
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Helen Chen, a 78-year-old Chinese woman, died in the fire, two other residents were injured, and 17 firefighters and two emergency workers were slightly injured. The fire also engulfed three attached houses.
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The fire department has not said whether the burning of incense was related to religious activities, nor disclosed the specific point of the fire; Some neighbors had previously speculated that it had nothing to do with the lithium battery, and mentioned that there were piles of cardboard boxes and debris at the scene.
