At least six dead in a devastating fire in Brooklyn: Lithium batteries once again under suspicion

Six people died early Thursday morning in a fire that engulfed a two-story house in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed the death toll and noted that the investigation to determine the cause is still ongoing, although the presence of a lithium battery at the scene has reignited the debate over the safety of these devices in homes.

Over 200 responders were dispatched to the fire

"I am heartbroken to announce that six New Yorkers lost their lives," Mamdani said. Four people had already died by the time the fire department arrived, while two others died later at the hospital. Four other people were injured, and three firefighters and two police officers sustained minor injuries.

More than 200 responders were dispatched to the fire, which broke out around 1:40 a.m. in a townhouse on 58th Street. The fire, classified as a three-alarm fire, took about three hours to bring under control and spread to a neighboring home, leaving several residents without a home.

Lithium battery found at the scene

Although the mayor emphasized that it is still "too early" to determine the exact cause, hazardous materials teams were called to the scene after finding a lithium battery at the scene. The FDNY stated that it has not yet been determined whether the device was related to the cause of the fire.

The fire comes just one month after four people died in the Bronx after an electric bicycle battery caught fire inside an apartment. Mamdani noted that fires involving electric bicycles have exceeded 400 this year in the city, a figure that reflects the growing risk associated with these devices.