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West Village Apartment Fire Sends Police Officer, Four Others to the Hospital

By DNAinfo Staff on June 22, 2010 8:32pm

Judith Bendenwald, who lives in the building next door, said she had seen two elderly residents of the building taken out wearing oxygen masks.
Judith Bendenwald, who lives in the building next door, said she had seen two elderly residents of the building taken out wearing oxygen masks.
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DNAinfo/Yepoka Yeebo

By Yepoka Yeebo

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

WEST VILLAGE — Flames leaped several feet in the air after an overloaded surge protector led to a ground floor fire in the West Village late Tuesday afternoon, witnesses said.

Three people, including a police officer, were taken to Roosevelt Hospital for smoke inhalation after the fire broke out at 5 p.m. in an apartment at 237 West 10th street, the FDNY said.

"I came out of the door, looked over, and the curtains were on fire," said James Cooper, 65, who lives in another unit in the red brick building.

He heard firefighters trying to get into the building, smelled smoke and rushed out.

Judith Bendenwald, who lives in the building next door, said she was on her way home when a neighbor called and said there were flames shooting out of the apartment next door. She said she had seen two elderly residents of the building taken out wearing oxygen masks.

"They were fine, they were up and talking on their cell phones," Bendenwald said.

"When I got here, there were three or four fire trucks," she added.

Neighbors said the man who lives in the apartment is out of town.