Six people were killed and nine others injured after a fire tore through a two-story home in Sunset Park early Thursday morning, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
Fire officials said they received calls about the fire around 1:40 a.m. and found intense fire on several floors of the home at 58th Street and 7th Avenue in Brooklyn. It took more than 200 first responders and nearly three hours to bring it under control.
Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, while two other people died after being transported to a local hospital with serious injuries, according to the FDNY and NYPD. Both agencies said they did not immediately have information that would identify the victims.
Five first responders were injured, the mayor said. Four other civilians were also hospitalized — one with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, and the others with minor injuries, officials said.
Authorities said a lithium-ion battery was found at the scene, but it is too early to say whether it caused the fire.
On Thursday morning, firefighters were closely examining what appeared to be a charred stand-up scooter that firefighters had brought outside the home, as well as debris that firefighters were shoveling through the home’s shattered windows.
“The presence of lithium-ion batteries on premises is a major concern, and more needs to be done to encourage and enforce safe storage practices,” City Council President Julie Menin said in a statement. “Enough is enough.”
In August of last year, the city’s Building Department received a complaint about illegal apartment conversions in the basement and first and second floors of the house, according to city records. Inspectors attempted to visit the premises four times but were unable to gain entry, according to a Department of Buildings spokesperson.
The spokesperson added that the Buildings Department was on scene investigating the fire.
Luis Ramos, 54, who said he lived across the street from the fire, said the house looked like “an out-of-control bonfire” where flames were “coming out of everywhere,” including the roof, windows and door.
“Whoever was there didn’t even have time to come out,” he said, adding that he saw a black, charred body. “There was no place in that building where a flame wasn’t coming out.”
Ramos said he felt for the family who lived there, especially with Thanksgiving coming up in a few weeks. “Instead of, you know, happiness, they have to bury their family members. »
Mamdani, who spoke at the scene of the fire Thursday morning, said it will take time and resources to help people recover from this fire.
“Because we know that fires are not only devastating in the moment, but they also drive New Yorkers from their homes,” he said. “And they need help and support not only from their community, but from the city as a whole.”
Mamdani said the Red Cross had moved all the displaced people to hotels.
Jimmy Juoguo, a neighbor, said the fire was very scary.
“It’s so sad because even we didn’t know each other, but it’s six people, it’s too many,” he said.
The incident comes less than a week after four members of a family, including 11-year-old Zion Maine, died when a lithium-ion battery caught fire in the Bronx.
Charles Lane contributed reporting. This is a developing story and has been updated with new information.
On Thursday morning, firefighters were closely examining what appeared to be a charred stand-up scooter that firefighters had brought outside the home, as well as debris that firefighters were shoveling through the home’s shattered windows.
“The presence of lithium-ion batteries on premises is a major concern, and more needs to be done to encourage and enforce safe storage practices,” City Council President Julie Menin said in a statement. “Enough is enough.”
The city’s Building Department received a complaint last year about illegal apartment conversions in the basement and first and second floors of the house, according to city records. Inspectors attempted to attend the scene three times, but it is unclear what happened to the citations.
A Building Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Luis Ramos, 54, who said he lived across the street from the fire, said the house looked like “an out-of-control bonfire” where flames were “coming out of everywhere,” including the roof, windows and door.
“Whoever was there didn’t even have time to come out,” he said, adding that he saw a black, charred body. “There was no place in that building where a flame wasn’t coming out.”
Ramos said he felt for the family who lived there, especially with Thanksgiving coming up in a few weeks. “Instead of, you know, happiness, they have to bury their family members. »
Mamdani, who spoke at the scene of the fire Thursday morning, said it will take time and resources to help people recover from this fire.
“Because we know that fires are not only devastating in the moment, but they also drive New Yorkers from their homes,” he said. “And they need help and support not only from their community, but from the city as a whole.”
Mamdani said the Red Cross had moved all the displaced people to hotels.
Jimmy Juoguo, a neighbor, said the fire was very scary.
“It’s so sad because even we didn’t know each other, but it’s six people, it’s too many,” he said.
The incident comes less than a week after four family members, including 11-year-old Zion Maine, died when a lithium-ion battery caught fire in the Bronx.
Charles Lane contributed reporting.
This is a developing story and has been updated with new information.
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