STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.— In the wake of a fire that devastated a home in New Brighton, friends and neighbors are praying for the full recovery of the 73-year-old woman critically injured in the blaze. Neighbor Sharon Slaughter, who moved to the area 12 years ago, said her 73-year-old neighbor, whose name was not released by authorities, is a “generous” woman. “She’s willing to help everyone,‘’ Slaughter said. ”She raised her grandchildren after their mom passed away.” The two became great friends, and the 73-year-old showed Slaughter the ropes of the neighborhood, she said. The woman also graciously helped Slaughter with her now-adult children, she said. Slaughter and her adult child, London, went to visit the woman yesterday in the hospital. “She has stamina,‘’ said London. ”She’s dedicated and she’s strong. Even when she looks weak, she’s strong. She called 911 herself, actually. She told them that she was stuck in her house; there’s a fire and she couldn’t get out.” Neighter Slaughter nor London, who share a home a few doors down, could smell the smoke until after firefighters arrived, they said. The fire ripped through the multi-story home at 26 Prospect Ave. on Wednesday and sparked a 90-minute battle to bring the inferno under control. A home next door to the blaze also sustained a significant amount of fire damage, according to Restoring Faith Restoration, fire and water specialists. Shantee Guccio-Lynch, of Restoring Faith Restoration, said the residents of the additional home are staying in a hotel and are more concerned about their hospitalized next door neighbor than themselves. The fire was reported at 10:55 a.m. Wednesday morning at the 20-by-40-foot home on Prospect, near the intersection of Harvard and York avenues, according to initial information supplied by a spokesman for the FDNY/EMS. The 73-year-old woman suffered burns to the body and was rushed in critical condition to Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton, according to an NYPD spokeswoman. Six firefighters suffered injuries that were not life threatening, according to the FDNY/EMS, with one firefighter listed in serious condition and five others suffering minor injuries. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday the woman was listed as in critical condition, police said Thursday.
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