March 07--Firefighters rescued a 90-year-old woman early today from her burning second-floor apartment during a two-alarm blaze that injured three firefighters and left nine adults homeless, fire officials said.
"The woman lived with her son, and the fire was impinging on the room she was in. Her son pointed the way to firefighters, and they carried her out of the building," Fire Commissioner Garnell W. Whitfield Jr. said.
Firefighters responded at about 6:30 a.m. to what was initially called in as a car fire at 167 Box Ave., but when they arrived, the driveway blaze had spread to the house on the property and was causing exposure damage to the mother and son's next door home at 171 Box.
Seven adults living in upper and lower apartments at 167 Box had managed to get safely out of their apartments. Within an hour, the blaze was declared under control. This section of Box Avenue is situated between Kehr Street and North Fillmore Avenue.
Red Cross officials were called in to assist all nine residents from the two, 2 1/2-story wood-frame homes.
The injured firefighters, from Engine 33, and Ladders 4 and 14, were taken to Erie County Medical Center, where they were treated and later released. Only one of the firefighters was ordered by doctors to remain off duty, Whitfield said.
An investigation into how the automobile caught fire remains under investigation. An emergency demolition of 167 Box, where $80,000 damage occurred, was scheduled for today. Firefighters were still determining whether 171 Box, which sustained $60,000 in damages, should also be demolished, according to the commissioner.
Damage to the car was set at $2,000.
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