By Shaina McLawrence
Staten Island Advance, N.Y.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Fire officials say two of the three firefighters that were seriously injured in a fire that resulted in a house collapsing are still at Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze as of Sunday afternoon.
All were alert and conscious when brought into the hospital, the FDNY said.
The identities of the men who were hospitalized have yet to be revealed. Overall, 20 firefighters were injured as a result of the blaze that engulfed two houses in the Annadale section of Staten Island.
Residents are still reeling from the blaze that left two families displaced without any personal belongings. One family, the Pellizzi’s, had lived at their home at 84 Shotwell Ave., for 43 years. Vincent Pellizzi, said he and his wife were out shopping when the blaze broke out. His son, 29, was home.
He said his son saw flames coming out from the back, between the two houses.
“I imagine everything is gone,” he said of his residence. “You can see through the back of the house.”
But he pointed to the American flag displayed from the second-floor porch at the front of the home, which somehow survived the flames.
“At least my flag is still flying,” he said.
The Pellizzis escaped with their dog Chewie, a 6-year-old shih tzu. The residents of 88 Shotwell Ave. got out of their home as well.
The goddaughter of Donna Pellizzi, Melissa Anelli, recently created a GoFundMe to help the Pellizzi family to recover to help the family. As of this writing, nearly $16,000 has been raised.
“We’re hoping to raise some money to help them start to rebuild,” said Anelli on the website.
The inferno sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky, and the smell of ash was into the air as a massive emergency response that included 200 firefighters, tirelessly fought the blaze.
Officials believe the blaze broke out in the rear of 84 Shotwell and spread to 88, FDNY Deputy Chief Brian Gorman told reporters at the scene, but it still remains under investigation.
As firefighters were inside, part of the rear of 84 Shotwell collapsed, Gorman said.
One firefighter was rescued from the front window, while a lieutenant was rescued on the second floor.
The fire was brought under control at 2:46 p.m., the FDNY said.
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