New York EMT Saves Two In Deadly Blaze

An elderly woman died in a Queens building fire yesterday, but a city ambulance worker was able to lead two other people through thick smoke to safety, officials said.

The emergency medical technician, Stephen Smith, the first official to arrive, brought both survivors to the first floor, but was unable to reach Vilma Colombaria, 76, who was trapped, according to Fire Department spokesman David Billig.

One of the survivors was identified by police as Gino Colombari, 76. According to property records, however, the owner of the St. Albans building at 232-12 Merrick Blvd. was listed as Gino Colombaria. Neighbors said Colombaria was the estranged husband of the dead woman, who lived in the basement.

The other survivor, who was not identified by officials, also lived in the building, neighbors said.

Fire officials reported that Smith ran into difficulty as he attempted to reach the victim in the basement. When the heat in the basement became unbearable, Smith had Gino Colombaria grab his belt, and the woman, in turn, grab the man's belt, and led them through the smoke to safety, Billig said.

"The smoke was so thick, we couldn't see what was going on," said Tony Vigerido, who owns East Coast Media Marketing across the street. "By the time the smoke really got going, the fire trucks were already there."

Smith, 35, a resident of Hicksville, where he is a volunteer firefighter, was being treated at Nassau County Medical Center and his injuries were not considered life-threatening, Billig said.

The incident began when people flagged down a Fire Department ambulance about 11:35 a.m. in St. Albans and pointed out the fire, Billig said.

People on the sidewalk were shouting that people were trapped inside and Smith ran into the smoke-filled building. He worked his way to a light in the rear, where he found two people at the bottom of the steps to the basement, trying to force open the door.

He had to drag both people up the stairs and instruct them to stay there while he returned to the door and tried to force it open, Billig said.

"At that point the guy falls down the stairs and lands on him," Billig said of Colombaria. "He took him back up and told him not to move."

Returning to the basement, Smith forced his way past one door, only to find an inner door that was jammed. He found a fire extinguisher, but it was empty. A second extinguisher was also empty.

Smith finally got a hand inside the door he managed to force partially open to feel for the victim, but he had to withdraw because of the heat, according to Billig.

He returned to the landing and led the two people through the building and out to safety.

Outside, he was met by the first firefighters arriving on the scene, who rushed to the basement, but the woman was already dead, Billig said.

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