The blaze, caused by a faulty lithium-ion battery, erupted shortly after 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 16, in a second-floor apartment in the Brighton Beach area, according to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY).
The intense heat and flames from the scooter blocked the 69-year-old victim from escaping, FDNY Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn said.
A 35-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman, who were also in the apartment, tried to extinguish the fire, though attempting to put out fires involving batteries is highly dangerous. They both managed to escape with minor injuries and were hospitalized.
Two children were able to self-evacuate without injuries, officials reported.
The fire was brought under control by over 60 firefighters and emergency personnel by around 4:30 a.m. However, it was revealed that a smoke detector had been removed from the apartment, which complicated the response.
“We were fortunate to get it under control as quickly as we did given the severity of the fire, with only minor injuries,” FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito told the New York Post. A firefighter was also hospitalized with minor injuries.
Images of the burned e-scooter were released. The identity of the deceased has not been publicly disclosed.
This incident marks the fourth fatality in New York City linked to dangerous devices, with FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker stating that unregulated lithium-ion batteries are posing deadly risks. Officials also noted that standard fire extinguishers are not effective at stopping fires caused by these batteries.
