A 'firetrap': Resident speaks out after fatal fire in Queens home

JAMAICA, Queens (PIX11) -- More details have surfaced following a fire that claimed the lives of multiple people at a home in Queens early Sunday morning.

Three people were killed and at least eight others injured in the fire that burned for over an hour on Chevy Chase Street between Cambridge Road and Henley Road, fire officials said. 

Adham Ammar, a resident who has lived in the house for seven years, said the landlord tried to put out the flames with a bucket of water before calling 911 or alerting people to evacuate.

"It's hard to fathom what happened," Ammar told PIX11 News. "What happened is the landlord's fault, and I hope he is held accountable for what he did."

Ammar adds that he knew this day would come, given the dangerous conditions inside. "I've seen many red flags," he said, noting electrical issues and lack of basic maintenance.

The tenant described the home as a “firetrap” and said he paid $700 a month while putting his life at risk.

Long-time neighbors told PIX11 News they’ve been complaining to the city for nearly a decade, and the situation has been “extremely frustrating.” They say there are always different people coming and going, and that they’ve noticed the house being altered over the years.

The Department of Buildings has responded to multiple 311 complaints claiming the building had illegal conversions, but was unable to access the property for inspection, according to a spokesperson for the department. The most recent 311 complaint about the property was in 2023.

Before that, the department issued two violations to the property related to the use of the basement and an illegally constructed wood-framed structure on the property, according to a spokesperson for the DOB. 

Assemblyman David Weprin said he personally called 311 to file a complaint against the landlord and that, apparently, inspectors were not allowed inside the property. Now he’s calling for tougher laws against landlords who illegally convert homes into multiple units or rooming houses.