Two firefighters had to scramble to survive after they became temporarily trapped today inside a burning building in Queens, fire officials said.
A firefighter battling the three-alarm inferno at 424 Beach 129th St. in Belle Harbor quickly found himself surrounded by high heat and heavy smoke while conducting searches on the second floor and had to use his service rope to rappel out a window, according to Deputy Chief James DiDomenico.
“You couldn’t see the hand in front of your face,” DiDomenico said of the dangerous conditions.
The firefighter landed safely on a lower level roof.
Another firefighter became partially stuck when a portion of the second-level floor gave way as he was attempting to exit, DiDomenico said.
“He was halfway through the floor,” he said.
The firefighter, a lieutenant, was lodged up to his armpits between busted boards and had to be pulled out by colleagues, DiDomenico added.
The fire began just after 10 a.m. and raged for more than two hours before being brought under control by 12:36 p.m.
It is believed the blaze started in a cellar burner, but fire marshals will launch a full investigation.
The two injured firefighters were taken to Peninsula Hospital and listed in stable condition. Ten other firefighters suffered minor injuries.