NASA
21 minutes ago (1:48 am Pacific Time):  198 firefighters are on the scene battling blazes that have taken about 50 homes, according to the latest estimate, in the coastal NYC borough area of Queens.  The blaze was reported at about 11 pm in an area that had been flooded by the storm earlier.  The neighborhood sits on the Rockaway peninsula jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, reported Fox News. 

Flooding has made it difficult for firefighters to battle the fire at the Breezy Point section and they are unable to determine if there are any fatalities yet.

Hurricane Sandy has claimed 16 lives in the US, although it is uncertain if there are others at this point.  The fatalities occurred in New Jersey, New York, Maryland, North Carolina, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.  An estimated 6.2 million people are now without power on the East Coast.  The full extent of the damage, injuries and fatalities are unknown and will most likely not be known until after daybreak.