A fire tore through a house in Queens Sunday morning, killing a 95-year-old great-grandmother and leaving her 68-year-old daughter and 6-year-old great-granddaughter in critical condition, sources and officials said.

“They have a big family and this is just a tragedy. I don’t know what they’re going to do –  a big family right before Thanksgiving,” said neighbour Louis Hidalgo, who was standing on the street in shock. 

FDNY were called to 113-23 202 St. in St. Albans on reports of a blaze in the cellar Sunday morning and arrived within three minutes, officials said. The cause of the fire is still being investigated, but neighbours say firefighters at the scene told them the boiler exploded. 

“They think it was the boiler. They said it was empty and it was just running and running and then it exploded,” said David Rock, a retired detective who has known the family for 20 years. 

“Two weeks ago we were all on vacation down in Florida. I can’t believe this,” he said. 

More than 60 firefighters and paramedics eventually responded to the scene and brought out the three family members trapped inside, according to the FDNY.

The 6-year-old’s mother lives in Long Island, and she was staying with her relatives overnight in the Queens home, according to neighbours. 

“When she was a baby, her grandma-ma brought her and she was so proud. She said to me, ‘isn’t she pretty?’ She loved that child,” said Sylvia Lovelace, who lived next door to the family since 1975. 

EMS workers administered CPR to the young girl after she was pulled from the fire, according to sources.

All the residents of the building were transported to local hospitals.