(1 Jun 1997) Nat Sound

New York police on Sunday arrested a young relative of Malcolm X's widow after she was critically burned over most of her body in a suspicious fire.

63-year-old Betty Shabazz remained in \"extremely critical\" condition in the burn unit at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx.

Officials said she was clinging to life with third-degree burns over 80 percent of her body.

Police arrived at the New York apartment of Betty Shabazz at 0140 local time.

The widow of the slain civil rights leader was rushed to the burn unit at the Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx.

Officials said she had sustained third-degree burns over 80 percent of her body and added she was in a critical condition.

Malcolm X was the radical voice of Black Muslims in America during the early 1960s.

His raw talk about race shocked many Americans and his black nationalist appeal contrasted with the integrated civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King.

Malcolm X was assassinated in New York in February, 1965.

Shabazz had recently moved into the apartment in a complex of well-kept buildings in the Yonkers area of New York.

Firefighters said the fire was confined to a hallway in her apartment.

No one else was hurt in the incident and the blaze did a relatively small amount of damage to the three bedroom apartment.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"It wasn't heavy flames. Just a small fire. That's why it's suspicious because we have no idea how it could have done that much damage to her, unless she was in the other bedroom and tried to get through it. I don't know. We don't know at this point.\"
SUPER CAPTION: William Troia, Yonkers Fire Chief

Neighbours assisted Shabazz before firefighters arrived, according to the president of the apartment building's co-op board.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"The person that was involved in he fire, we understand, is in very serious condition and we would just like to say our heart goes out to here. She is our neighbour and we care about her physical condition and our heart goes out to her family and our prayers are with her.\"
SUPER CAPTION: Beth Fisher, Neighbour

Later on Sunday, police arrested a young relative.

Police said the youth was charged with juvenile delinquency under the Family Court Act, but would not identify the suspect or give his age.

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