Queens fire that killed 4 ruled a homicide: Police
QUEENS - The NYPD is now investigating an apartment fire that killed four in Queens earlier this month as a homicide, officials announced on Friday.
Queens fire ruled a homicide
The backstory:
The fire happened on March 16, at a home on Avery Avenue in Flushing. Firefighters responded to the multi-story building shortly after noon that day and found heavy fire when they arrived.
Crews reported seeing three people jump from an upper floor as the flames spread through the building.
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During the firefight, several firefighters were trapped after a staircase collapsed, but they were later extricated.
Firefighters were eventually able to put out the fire, but found three people, a 3-year-old girl, a 50-year-old man and a 61-year-old woman, dead inside the building. Paramedics brought a fourth person, a 63-year-old man, to the hospital, where he was also pronounced dead.
Victims identified
What we know:
On Friday, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the incident a homicide.
Two of the victims have also been identified. Three-year-old Sihan Yang and 50-year-old Chengri Cui were among the four killed in the fire.
What we don't know:
The two others have yet to be identified.
Officials have not yet determined what caused the fire. As of Saturday night, no arrests have been made.
The Source: Information in this story is from the NYPD and previous FOX 5 NY reports.