by Oren Yaniv and Wil Cruz
A raging fire that tore through several businesses in Queens on Sunday set off an explosion that brought down a ceiling and sent firefighters scrambling for their lives, officials said.
The four-alarm blaze at 66th Road and 99th St. in Rego Park, which began in a corner bodega just after 8:30 p.m., grew uncontrollable after it sparked the blast as firefighters were trying to put it out.
"The fire extended to the ceiling, and it exploded on the firefighters, so we had to withdraw," said Assistant Fire Chief James Manahan. "We don't know what exploded."
Several firefighters suffered minor injuries, but none was seriously hurt, Manahan said. The cause was under investigation.
The fire, which took more than 250 firefighters to extinguish, damaged other businesses and threatened the Ohr Natan synagogue and an animal clinic.
"It almost stretched to the synagogue, and thank God we got all of the Torahs out," said Rabbi Nahum Kaziev.
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