by SARAH GARLAND
A 5-year-old boy left home alone in a Queens apartment was found dead after a two-alarm fire engulfed his apartment building yesterday morning, fire officials said. Firefighters found the body of Jason Guallpa covered in debris and crouched between the wall and a television, where they believe he tried to hide from the fire. Fire officials said they think the fire started in the kitchen of the child's apartment on the first floor.
Fire officials first received a call at 10:21 a.m. for a fire at a three-story building at 35-58 98th St. in Corona that housed a bar on the first floor, along with apartments. When the firefighters arrived, heavy flames were shooting from the windows, and the side of the building was charred from flames that burst from a first-floor window. Firefighters had to force entry to the boy's apartment, which was locked.
Firefighters rescued two other people from the building, including one adult whom they pulled from a second-story window using a ladder. The other victims, along with three firefighters who sustained minor injuries, were taken to Booth Memorial Hospital, where they were being treated.
A spokesman for the fire department, Anthony Sclafani, said fire marshals were investigating the cause of the fire.
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