Seconds from death, woman pulled from blaze in Greenville

Thursday, October 16, 2008
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A Jersey City woman was in critical condition after suffering smoke inhalation in a fire that ripped though a vacant two-story building in Greenville early yesterday morning, officials said.

Firefighters rushed into the burning, smoke-filled building at Woodlawn Avenue and Corcoran Street on a 2:31 a.m. alarm and found the woman under debris on the top floor, Fire Director Armando Roman said.

The woman, who is described only as being in her 40s, was not breathing when carried to the street, where firefighters and emergency medical technicians began CPR and revived her, Roman said. She was stabilized at the Jersey City Medical Center and transferred to the Burn Center at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Roman said.

The victim, who had not suffered burns but did have several cuts, has not yet been able to speak to arson investigators, Roman said, adding that building is known as a place where homeless people take refuge. Investigators have not been able to identify the woman and she is listed at the hospital as a Jane Doe, Roman said.

"Had she remained there an additional minute, if for that matter 30 seconds, she would not have survived," Roman said. "These firefighters put their lives on the line and could easily have been trapped in the same fire."

Syreta Oglesby said her family moved out of the building in 2005 in order to have renovations done and they have been living in Newark.

"We were just as surprised as anyone to arrive at the scene of the fire and to find out that someone was in our home," Oglesby said. "We had no idea anyone was squatting or living in our home at all. We have no idea who she is."

The blaze was under control by 2:59 a.m., but not before the entire building suffered heavy damage, Roman said.