STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — One person suffered serious injuries in an apartment fire in New Springville Friday morning.
The victim was taken to Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze after a blaze broke out in a first-floor apartment at 90 Richmond Hill Road, an FDNY official on the scene told a reporter. Two other people suffered minor injuries.
The fire, which broke out at 9:10 a.m., was brought under control in approximately 20 minutes.
Ronnie Leckow, who lives next door to the apartment where the fire started, said she smelled smoke.
When she opened the door, saw the hallway shrouded in thick, black smoke.
"I slammed the door quick and called the Fire Department," she said, noting that firefighters were on the scene within minutes.
"They did an amazing job," she said. "Angels on earth."
The building's owner expressed regret over the incident.
"It's terrible for this to happen around the holidays," said Tony Lenza. "Somebody got hurt, so this is awful."