22 firefighters hurt, 3 seriously, in NYC blaze

Twenty-two city firefighters were injured Friday — including three seriously — when part of a home collapsed during a blaze in Staten Island, officials said.

The fire started at the rear of a two-story, semi-attached duplex on Shotwell Avenue in Arden Heights around 1:30 p.m. and quickly spread to both units, causing the back of one of the homes to collapse — and trigger at least two “mayday” calls for firefighters trapped inside.

“They were inside the building when all this occurred — members were trapped in the heavy fire in the rear of 84 [Shotwell Ave.],” FDNY Deputy Chief Brian Gorman said at the scene.

The three injured smoke-eaters — two firefighters and a lieutenant — were taken to a nearby hospital and are listed in serious but stable condition: one with a brain injury, another hurt in his pelvis and the third with burns, according to officials and department sources. 

One of them was brought out of the structure unconscious, but now all three are awake and alert, sources said. 

Mayor Eric Adams and Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh were at the hospital.

“I cannot emphasize enough that this was a very close call for the FDNY. We could have lost three members today,” Kavanaugh said. 

“But it was thanks to the bravery of our members, including those who went in and saved their fellow firefighters, rescued the trapped members, brought them to EMS on scene … which is why we are here to say that they are stable while critical but that they are going to be OK.”

Another 19 firefighters suffered non-life-threatening injuries, the department said in a tweet.

The blaze was reported under control just after 2:45 p.m., officials said.

It was revealed hours later by an FDNY union boss that response times to the blaze were delayed because the nearest firehouse was closed Friday due to scheduled firefighter medical exams.

Uniformed Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro said the delay could have factored into the number of injuries and blamed the city for the closed firehouse.   

“New Yorkers should know that every company is unnecessarily closed four days a year because the city has been unwilling to pay the overtime to replace the staff that has been scheduled for medicals,” said Ansbro.

“Had Engine 167 not been closed, more firefighters would have arrived faster and put water on the fire that much quicker, resulting in less damage and possibly sparing some firefighters injuries.”

To make matters worse, a responding engine truck was involved in an accident on the way to the fire, said Ansbro.

Vincent Pelizzi, 72, who lives next-door to where the blaze broke out, told The Post his house “is very much gone.

“It’s a blessing that nobody got hurt. It can be replaced,” he said of his home. 

“We are still breathing, right?”

Pelizzi’s son, 29, also named Vincent, was home working at the time and saw the family back room filling with smoke.

“I saw a fire in the corner, so I turned off all the breakers and grabbed the dog and got out,” the quick-thinking younger man said, referring to the family’s 6-year-old pet Shih Tzu named Chewy. 

“Obviously, it spread very, very quickly. The smoke was starting to creep in just as I was getting out of the house,” said the son, wrapped in a Red Cross blanket. 

Neighbor Daniel Robles, 66, who lives a few doors down, said, “Flames leaped over to the second building, and [the fire] took on a life of its own.”

One of the homes’ back porches just “melted,” he said.

Staten Island Councilman Joe Borelli tweeted, “If you live near Arden Avenue and Woodrow Road, you … realized that there is a major fire department response to a house fire.

“Thankfully, the preliminary reports are that all injured personnel will be OK, though with some injuries. No civilians are injured.”

It was unclear what caused the blaze.