by Joe Jackson and Wil Cruz
An elderly couple was lucky to be alive Tuesday after firefighters rushed into their burning Brooklyn apartment and made a daring rescue.
Yuri Krinitsyn, 62, was unconscious while his 72-year-old wife, Zhanna, lay moaning and barely alert as flames spread around them in their Brighton Beach apartment Monday night.
Firefighters arrived at 10:46p.m., breaking down the door and pulling the couple out of harm's way.
"They did an amazing job," said neighbor Mira Alshvang. "Thank God it was not in the middle of the night."
The couple was in the Staten Island University Hospital burn unit in critical but stable condition.
Fire officials believe the source of the blaze was a cigarette.
Firefighters from Ladder 169 had the fire under control just after 11 p.m.
"To tell you the truth, we did a hell of a job," said Capt. Bill Gallagher, 50. "Sometimes the bear eats you or you eat the bear.
"This one actually worked out really well," he added.
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