The fire broke out just after 2:30 a.m. in the 6000 block of Summerdale Avenue.
"I was like 'I hope she's not in there,' but she was," said Edna Maldanado.
Maldanado snapped a photo on her phone as flames poured out of her neighbor's home.
"Once they busted the door open, I seen all the flames come out," said Maldanado.
Neighbors say the firefighters quickly pulled the victim out, and on her front lawn they worked to resuscitate her.
Emergency crews rushed the woman to Albert Einstein Hospital in critical condition.
According to fire officials, the fire was on the first floor and heavy smoke upstairs.
Crews battled the blaze quickly, preventing it from spreading down the block.
"Apparently downstairs there were no smoke detectors, they found her upstairs," said Eileen Curtin.
The victim recently had an accident and may not have been able to get out quickly.
Later Saturday morning, residents gathered near the charred home, thankful the fire didn't spread. However they were upset to see their neighbor, who they say recently hit hard times, in such dire straits.
"Very upsetting when you see someone like that who you see every day," said one resident.
At this point, investigators do not have a cause for the fire.
