Relatives at the scene of the blaze (Paul Martinka)
(Paul Martinka)
A crazed correction officer burst into a Brooklyn brownstone yesterday and splashed gasoline inside before torching the place, leaving 11 people injured, including four in critical condition, witnesses and police sources said.
Evette Rudolph, 43, was wearing her correction’s uniform when she walked out of the Chauncey St. building in Bedford-Stuyvesant just as smoke was starting to pour out from the structure at about 9:15 a.m, witnesses said.
“She was walking calm. That really caught my eye,” said Gado Robinson, a 21-year-old student.
“I was saying to myself, ‘How are you dressed for work and you are coming out of an apartment on fire and you didn’t notify anybody?’’’
Randolph was arrested by the NYPD Arson and Explosion Squad and charged with arson in the 2nd degree early this morning. The police said she worked for the city jails, but the Department of Corrections did not respond to a request for information about her employment.
More than 100 firefighters responded to the blaze and brought it under control 45 minutes later.
Eleven people suffered smoke inhalation and were rushed to area hospitals, where four were treated for life-threatening injuries.
Woodrow Spencer, 49, who lives on the third floor saw smoke coming in from under his door.
“I saw the smoke and I felt a lot of heat on my feet,” Spencer said. “I was scrambling to find my things, but I said, ‘No, I better get the hell out of here!’ ”
Resident Keith Robinson said the FDNY’s Bravest heroically battled to rescue victims.
“I watched the firefighters resuscitating people right there on the ground,” Robinson, 29, said. “They were putting their own lives in jeopardy.”
Robinson said firefighters were hauling victims out windows and carrying them down ladders.
“[Firefighters] were even trying to save the animals,” Robinson added. “They were just running in there to save lives. You need a lot more people like that.”
A building source said Rudolph’s boyfriend had lived at the address, but left last December.
Witnesses said they saw her pacing around outside the brownstone just before the fire.
“The female was walking around outside the building all morning,” one source said. “She’s obviously pretty creepy.”
Neighbors said that someone, possibly Rudolph, recently got into the building and tried to break into an apartment.
“All I know is, two days ago, this lady tried to break in a second-floor apartment,” one neighbor said. “A pastor lives there with his wife.”