Deaths of 3-year-old child, 3 adults in Queens fire deemed homicides

The deaths of a child and three adults in a Flushing, Queens, fire are now being investigated as homicides.

The fire happened the afternoon of March 16 at an apartment building at the corner of Avery Avenue and College Point Boulevard. The FDNY said the fire broke out on the first and second floors of a three-story building.

Three of the victims, including the child, were pronounced dead at the scene. The fourth victim died after being transported to a local hospital.

Friday, police identified two of the victims as 3-year-old Sihan Yang and 50-year-old Chengri Cui. The identities of the other two victims, a 61-year-old woman and a 63-year-old man, are not being released until their families have been notified.

No arrests have been made at this time, and the fire marshal has not yet determined the cause of the fire.

Over 230 firefighters and EMS personnel responded, and it took crews just over two hours to get the blaze under control.

The FDNY said some people jumped from the upper floors to escape the flames, at least one person had to be rescued, and while firefighters were inside the building, a stairwell collapsed, trapping two FDNY members.

Four people were taken to a local hospital in stable condition, police said.

The investigation is ongoing.