A 66-year-old woman battling cancer died alone inside her Brooklyn apartment that mysteriously caught ablaze Saturday night, officials say.
Edwina Faith Golas was found unconscious inside her home on the third floor of the complex located on 94th street near Shore Road in Bay Ridge.
Firefighters responded to an upstairs neighbor’s call on the matter, and a rescue team arrived to scene around 11:30 p.m., when they successfully distinguished the flames, according to the Brooklyn Reporter.
Firefighters responded to a fire 94th street near Shore Road in Bay Ridge late Saturday
Edwina Faith Golas, 66, was found unconscious inside her home on the third floor
No other residents inside the building at the time were said to be harmed.
One firefighter on duty required medical treatment at NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn and suffered minor injuries.
The team also recovered Golas’ cat and were able to revive it to be transferred to a local veterinary clinic for further care.
The New York Daily News spoke to neighbors of Golas, who described the woman as ‘a nice person’ who was helpful in times of need.
‘A couple of times she brought my luggage from the airport when it was on the wrong flight,’ said Dewey Cole, who lived next door to Golas for two decades.
Residents of the property say they recently learned of Golas’ cancer diagnosis as she had an at-home health aide visit her on a daily basis.
No other residents inside the building at the time were harmed from the fire
The New York City Fire Department is currently investigating the cause of the fire, while the Medical Examiner’s Office will determine an autopsy for Golas
Neighbor June VonGizycki said several residents sprinted downstairs when they saw smoke surging through the hallways that evening.
‘I knew it was bad,’ VonGizycki said. When speaking of Golas, she described her as ‘quiet’ and ‘a good neighbor (who) mostly kept to herself.’
The New York City Fire Department is currently investigating the cause of the fire, while the Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the autopsy for Golas.
On Monday, officials responded to another unusual Brooklyn blaze on 44th street between 12th Avenue and Fort Hamilton Parkway.
Officials say married couple Chaim Gluck, 61, and his wife, Faigy, 59, were found unconscious on the second floor of their longtime residence.
The pair died at the Maimonides Medical Center. The cause of the fire is being investigated.