May 1, 2026 QUEENS, NY A quiet South Ozone Park street transformed into a scene from a Hollywood disaster flick early Thursday morning, but the screams and the fire were terrifyingly real.
What began as a terrifying domestic hostage situation ended in a massive, 5-alarm explosion that literally erased a house from the map, hospitalized nearly a dozen officers, and left a community in shock.
The Midnight Terror: “He has a knife and I smell gas”
The nightmare began at 107-33 130th St. just before 3:00 a.m. Police say Anroop Parasram, 50, arrived at his estranged wife’s home intoxicated and hauling plastic bags filled with canisters.
In a desperate act of rage, Parasram reportedly smashed through an air conditioning unit to gain entry. As he brandished a knife and began threatening his wife, the woman’s daughter and two grandchildren managed to scramble to safety.
By the time the 106th Precinct arrived, the air was already thick with the scent of gas. Parasram’s wife managed to escape at the last second, handing the responding officers the key to the front door.
The Blast That Rocked Queens
As heroes often do, the officers didn't hesitate. They stepped toward the door to neutralize the threat. At 2:57 a.m., the house exhaled a ball of fire so violent it felt like a bomb.
“Multiple officers were thrown off their feet, with some being launched into gates at the front of the residence,” said NYPD Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh.
Despite being literally blown through the air, the wounded officers dragged themselves up from the pavement and ran toward the inferno to evacuate neighbors.
The Aftermath: A Pile of Rubble and 13 Injured
The FDNY faced a wall of fire so intense that they couldn't even enter the structure. When the smoke finally cleared, nothing was left of the home but a charred basement and debris.
