2-26-92 Queens 4th Alarm Box 3158-110-44 Queens Blvd-Forest Hills-Portofino Restaurant

I was up early on Feb. 26, 1992. I just getting getting dressed, I had to go to work at Queens County Supreme Court. At that time, I was a Senior Court Officer. Over the Citywide FDNY Radio, I heard " 46 Battalion is using All-Hands for box 3158 At 110-44 Queens Blvd. For a fire in a supermarket. I quickly finished getting dressed and grabbed my gear and started out for the fire. If it turned into nothing, I had to go that way anyway to get to work. As I started out for the job, the 2nd Alarm was transmitted. As I made a right turn onto Queens Blvd. I could see a big column of smoke from the fire. I got there pretty quick, I parked my car about a block away on Queens Blvd. As I walked up to the scene, There was a heavy fire and smoke condition coming out of a 100 x150 L shaped Taxpayer on a corner with stores facing both streets.. Exposure 1, was a Street, Exposure 2 was a Large Apartment Building. Exposure 3 another apartment building, exposure 4 was a Street. Among the buildings that were burning was a supermarket, where an arsonist walked into the store and lit a bottle of gasoline that started the fire. Also the famous Portofino Italian restaurant and other stores were involved in fire. The exposure 2 and 3 apartment buildings were threatened by the fire. Ladder 151 had their Arial ladder up to the 3rd floor of the exposure 2 Apartment house. Tower Ladder 138 was in operation protecting exposure 2. The whole row of stores were fully involved in fire, 3rd and 4th Alarms were transmitted. Numerous handlines were brought into the exposures while units operated on the 2 Streets. 5 Tower ladders were set up and in operation, along with numerous handlines. I took photos from the exposure one and expoaure 4 sides of the fire buildings. I met a friend, Mike Vonderleath at the job. He or I said," Lets go up to the roof of the Apartment Building across Queens Blvd", I believe the building was maybe, 29 stories high, We buzzed our way in. and took the elavator to the top floor and walked up a flight of stairs to get to the roof. It was a great place to takes pics of the fire. We stayed up there for about 15 minutes, then we went back down to the street. The fire was darkening down, but I knew they would be operating at this blaze all day. I went back to my car, but I was blocked in by units that respoded on the 3rd and 4th Alarms. I called the Court House and told them I would be a little late. About a half hour ladder I asked the Chauffeur of a ladder company if he could back up just a little, so I could get out of the parking spot. He backed up and off to work I went. I assigned to the Grand Jury. Assistant District Attorneys would be coming and going to the Grand Jury all day. The head of the Economic Bureau, Tony Comunillo, came by and asked me If I took any photos of the Fire, I said " I did" He asked for copies of the photos because an arrest was made. The perp was arrested shortly after setting the fire. I gave a set of the fire Photos to the ADA who was proscuting the arsonist. I believe he took a Plea or was convicted at trial. He was handed a lenghty prison sentence and the Portofino re-opened at a later date.