Elmhurst, Queens, New York (June 13, 2026) – Fourteen people were hospitalized after a five-alarm fire broke out inside a mid-rise building on Denman Street in Elmhurst, according to WABC-TV. Nine firefighters and three police officers were among those transported, the New York City Fire Department confirmed.
Two additional civilians were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries. The full extent of the injuries to the firefighters and police officers was not immediately known.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to the FDNY. Multiple FDNY units responded to the five-alarm incident at the Denman Street building.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
A building fire can push residents out of their homes in minutes, leaving them with injuries, displacement costs, and mounting medical bills. Tenants and occupants hurt inside a New York building may have legal options against the property owner.
What Queens Tenants and Residents Should Know After a Building Fire Injury
Building owners in New York carry a legal duty to keep their properties safe for tenants and guests. In a residential building, that duty covers functional fire suppression systems, maintained smoke detectors, clear emergency exits, and full compliance with the NYC Building Code and the New York Multiple Dwelling Law.
When a fire results in injury and the building was not properly maintained, the owner, management company, or a responsible contractor may be liable for the harm caused. Attorneys and fire investigators typically look at the following in building fire cases:
- Whether sprinkler systems were installed and operational under NYC Administrative Code requirements
- The condition of fire doors, stairwells, and egress routes at the time of the fire
- Prior code violations, open Department of Buildings complaints, or failed fire safety inspections
- Whether smoke and carbon monoxide detectors met New York Multiple Dwelling Law requirements at the time of the fire
- Any maintenance requests or complaints about fire safety equipment that were ignored or unaddressed before the incident
New York follows a pure comparative fault rule. If you are found partially at fault, your recovery is reduced proportionally, but there is no minimum threshold that bars you from bringing a claim entirely.
Under New York law, you generally have three years from the date of injury to file a personal injury claim (CPLR ยง 214). For an injury on June 13, 2026, that filing deadline falls on June 13, 2029. If the building is owned or operated by a government entity, a notice of claim under General Municipal Law ยง 50-e must be filed within 90 days of the incident – a deadline that would fall on September 11, 2026. The earlier an attorney can examine the building’s compliance records, the better the chance of preserving critical evidence.
Contact Our Queens Premises Liability Attorneys
Being injured or forced out of your home by a building fire is overwhelming. Before accepting any payment, signing any release, or speaking to the building owner’s insurance carrier, talk to an attorney who handles these cases in New York.
At Frekhtman & Associates, our NYC fire accident injury attorneys have recovered over $900M for injured New York clients across more than 25 years of practice. Building fire cases depend on an early review of the property’s fire safety history and code compliance records – documentation that landlords and insurers work quickly to control after an incident.
We handle premises liability and building fire cases on a contingency fee basis. There are no upfront costs and no fees unless we win.
Why Queens families trust Frekhtman & Associates:
- $900M+ recovered for injured New York clients across more than 25 years of practice
- $69,225,000 auto accident jury verdict, one of the largest in New York State history
- Free 24/7 consultations, including home and hospital visits for clients unable to travel
- Personal callbacks from founding attorney Arkady Frekhtman
- Russian-language services available
- Zero fees unless we win your case
Call (718) 331-3330 for a free consultation, available 24/7. Or contact us online, and a member of our team will respond promptly.
