by PERRY CHIARAMONTE and TATIANA DELIGIANNAKIS
An elderly woman died in a fire in her Queens home yesterday, despite the efforts of an off-duty firefighter to save her.
Emma Calendar, 87, was found dead in the living room of her St. Albans apartment at 3 p.m.
An off-duty firefighter who lives nearby ran to the home after smelling smoke, but was blocked from entering because of the flames.
Fire-union officials claimed Calendar might have been saved if a second ladder truck had been sent to the scene with initial responders. They said the second truck - which was later called for and arrived in three minutes - would have been better equipped to break through the apartment's barred windows.
The FDNY insisted proper protocol was followed.
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