One man died and several other people were injured in a fire caused by a lithium-ion battery at an apartment building in the Bronx Sunday night, according to FDNY officials.
Firefighters found an electric bike in the apartment where the fire broke out, on the 10th floor of 1440 Bronx River Ave. in Soundview around 7 p.m. As they worked to quell the blaze at the NYCHA building, first responders discovered 39-year-old Hiriam Borrero-Echeverria in critical condition.
He was transported to Jacobi Hospital in Morris Park, where he was pronounced dead.
Police said at least three other neighbors were also taken to Jacobi to be treated for smoke inhalation. At least four other people were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
A total of 78 firefighters from 20 units were needed to bring the blaze under control, the FDNY said.
Borrero-Echeverria is the 18th New Yorker to die this year as a result of faulty lithium-ion batteries, according to fire officials.
Last month, officials blamed electric scooter batteries for an intense fire that tore through a Crown Heights brownstone, killing three family members across three generations.
At a press conference at the scene, FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh slammed retailers for continuing to sell uncertified, untested devices and delivery apps for promoting their use.
She said the number of fatalities this year was “staggering and devastating” and that the city was on track to have more than 100 fire deaths in 2023, “an extraordinary number not seen in decades.”
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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