A three-alarm fire broke out at a commercial building on Hillside Avenue in Jamaica, Queens, just before 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. The blaze spread from a ground-floor restaurant into the second-floor area, which included a pawn shop. More than 140 fire and EMS personnel responded.
The fire was reported at 160-02 Hillside Avenue, near Parsons Boulevard and 160th Street, according to Patch. The first floor housed a Guatemalan restaurant and store, while the second floor had a pawn shop, CBS News New York reported.
The fire moved from the ground floor into the upper-floor area, reaching offices and the second-floor ceiling, CBS News New York reported. The fire was a three-alarm blaze.
Flames Brought Under Control Before Sunrise
The fire was under control just before 6:45 a.m. There were no reported injuries, and the cause remains under investigation, CBS News New York reported.
The public was notified through a NotifyNYC dispatch reposted by FDNY about the three-alarm fire at Hillside Avenue and 160th Street in Queens.
Alert Warned of Smoke and Traffic Delays
The alert cautioned nearby residents to expect smoke and traffic delays while crews worked. It did not specify how long those conditions would last.
Other Jamaica Fires in Context
Other commercial-building fires have also drawn three-alarm responses in Jamaica. QNS reported that a warehouse fire at 177-18 104th Ave. on June 22, 2026, brought 192 firefighters and EMS personnel to the scene, where roll-down gates delayed access. In a separate incident on March 30, 2022, QNS reported a three-alarm fire at a vacant two-story auto dealership at 153-12 Hillside Ave.—a different building and occupancy from the Hillside Avenue restaurant, store and pawn shop in this incident.
The extent of any damage to the restaurant, store, or pawn shop inside the building has not been detailed, and it remains unclear what triggered the blaze. Fire officials have not yet released findings on the cause, leaving that question open for now.
