Authorities Hunt Suspect After Fatal Fire Claims Lives of Elderly Couple in Queens

Authorities discovered the bodies of a 77-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman inside a residence in Queens on Monday following a fire reportedly started by an intruder.

Emergency responders declared the two individuals deceased at the scene of the small two-story home located in the Bellerose neighborhood.

Officials have withheld the identities of the victims and have not made any arrests as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Preliminary information indicates that an unidentified man entered the house around 10 a.m. Monday through the back door after the elderly man opened it. The intruder then allegedly set the residence on fire while both victims were inside.

The suspect reportedly remained inside the house for approximately five hours, leaving shortly after 3 p.m. By 3:22 p.m., the home's fire alarm activated, prompting neighbors to respond.

The victims’ son, an off-duty paramedic, was alerted to the fire by neighbors and arrived at the scene alongside police officers and firefighters who extinguished the blaze.

Inside, responders found the woman unconscious on the first floor, while the man was discovered in the basement, bound to a wall and bearing signs of physical trauma.

Many details about the incident remain unclear, including what events led up to the fire and the motive behind the attack.

The city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct autopsies to determine the exact causes of death.