Astoria Building Fire Spews Massive Plumes Of Smoke: Videos

ASTORIA, QUEENS — An Astoria apartment building caught fire Thursday afternoon, sending flames shooting from the rooftop and huge plumes of smoke billowing out into the neighborhood.

Flames broke out around 3 p.m. on the roof of the six-story building at 31-16 35th Ave., between 31st and 32nd streets, an FDNY spokesperson said.

Maggie Mahlock, who lives across the street, said she heard sirens, followed by an explosion.

"Less than three minutes later, my window was blacked out" from smoke, Mahlock told Patch at the scene.

One civilian and one firefighter suffered minor injuries, according to the fire department.

Dramatic video taken minutes earlier by witness Danny Shaw showed the building's roof on fire. Shaw heard one of the building's residents telling onlookers that he had just escaped the burning structure.

"All of a sudden, I heard people yelling outside, and then the super was knocking on everyone's doors telling them to get out," the resident can be heard saying in a video taken by Shaw. "I just assumed it was some smoke, so I didn't grab anything. I wish I'd grabbed my stuff."

It took more than 100 firefighters to bring the blaze under control by 4 p.m., according to the FDNY. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Visible flames had ceased and the smoke had already died down by 3:30 p.m., as firefighters sprayed water onto the roof from an outstretched ladder.

Dozens of people looked on from the street below, which smelled strongly of smoke more than half an hour after the fire began. Authorities shut down several blocks of 35th Avenue as well as 32nd Street between 34th and 35th avenues while they battled the blaze.

Apartments on the building's top floor appeared visibly damaged — the sky was visible through the roof of one apartment, and firefighters had knocked out a half-dozen window panes from within the building.

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.