Six dead in Brooklyn row house fire as lithium-ion batteries found at scene

Six people died and nine others were injured when a fire consumed a two-story wood-frame row house in Brooklyn's Sunset Park neighborhood shortly after 1:39 a.m. Thursday, the deadliest fire in New York City this year. Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene on 58th Street near Seventh Avenue; two more — a man and a woman in their 50s pulled from the building in cardiac arrest — died at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn. The nine injured, including three firefighters and two police officers, were all expected to survive.

Firefighters arrived in three minutes and 18 seconds to find a building already beyond saving by ordinary means. The basement, first floor, and second floor were all alight simultaneously, and flames were visible from every window.

Upon arrival, we had fire on every floor: cellar, first and second floor. Fire blowing out every window, meeting us at the front door.— Kevin Woods, FDNY Chief of Fire Operations

More than 200 first responders — 231 FDNY members, according to the NY Daily News — deployed five hoselines and worked for just under three hours before bringing the blaze under control at approximately 4:28 a.m., according to Brooklyn Paper. Crews then spent two more hours conducting secondary searches as heavy smoke lingered. Firefighters also pulled down ceilings and cut holes in the roof to release superheated gases.

Four people were rescued from the building. Two of them had been trapped behind window bars at the rear of the first floor; firefighters reached them through a back entrance. A staircase between the first and second floors partially collapsed during the fire. FDNY First Deputy Commissioner Daniel Flynn credited the rescues as decisive.

They were able to rescue four people from that building and transport them to local hospitals. Two of those people are still alive and if not for the heroic efforts of our firefighters and EMS personnel they would be deceased as well … They truly are heroes and did save lives here.— Daniel Flynn, FDNY First Deputy Commissioner

The fire spread to the exterior of one adjacent row house in a block of 25 wood-frame homes that share common walls. Eight neighbors were displaced and placed in hotels, with the American Red Cross assisting, according to Brooklyn Paper. The FDNY is evaluating the structural stability of the burned building.

A neighbor who watched from across the street described the scene in stark terms.

You could smell the fire from blocks away. There wasn't a spot in that building that didn't have flames coming out. There was fire shooting out of everywhere … I could feel the heat. It was intense.— Luis Ramos, 54, neighbor

The cause of the fire has not been determined. Fire marshals found lithium-ion batteries at the scene — and FDNY investigators also removed what appeared to be a burned bicycle and a stand-up scooter from the home, according to the NY Daily News — but officials said it was unknown whether the batteries were related to the fire's origin. Brooklyn Paper reported that the blaze appeared to start on the second floor before spreading throughout the building.

The discovery of the batteries comes as New York City is grappling with a surge in fires linked to lithium-ion batteries, particularly in e-bikes and e-scooters. More than 400 such fires have occurred in the city this year, leading to at least six deaths and more than 70 injuries, according to fire officials cited by the Boston Globe. Just last week, a lithium-ion battery fire killed four family members in the Bronx's Mott Haven neighborhood after an e-bike being charged near the apartment's only exit door caught fire, according to the NY Daily News.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, speaking at the scene, called the fire devastating and connected it to the broader e-bike battery problem, even as the investigation remained open.

We are investigating what the cause of this fire is, but I can tell you that e-bike fires as a whole have increased to more than 400 fires this year. They are something that can cause people to lose their lives as well as their livelihoods. We are really looking at every avenue we have to keep them safe.— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City

The building itself had drawn scrutiny before Thursday. City records show it was sold by a family to a company called One Golden Sunshine Corp. some years ago, according to the Boston Globe. Complaints filed with the city's Department of Buildings on August 30, 2025, alleged that the basement was being illegally converted into an apartment and that construction was proceeding without permits. A follow-up complaint three days later said the unpermitted work had been ongoing for a month. City inspectors visited multiple times, including in August, but were unable to gain access, and the complaints were closed. The building was constructed in 1915, according to city property records cited by the Boston Globe.

More must be done to encourage and mandate safe storage practices. My heart is with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and I am praying for the full recovery of those who were injured.— Julie Menin, New York City Council Speaker

Council Member Susan Zhuang, who represents the area, set up a table at the corner of 58th Street and Seventh Avenue to assist those affected, according to Brooklyn Paper. FDNY officials urged all New Yorkers to have a fire escape plan and to know how they would exit their home in an emergency.

What are you going to do when a fire breaks out in your home? How will you escape? How will you notify everybody else in the house?— Daniel Flynn, FDNY First Deputy Commissioner

No names of the victims have been released. The identities of the four found at the scene are being determined by the medical examiner. Fire marshals continue to investigate the cause.

Why it matters — Six people are dead in what officials call NYC's deadliest fire of the year, with unresolved building complaints and lithium-ion batteries at the scene raising urgent questions about enforcement and e-bike safety across the city.

Sources differ on Total number of injured: Seven injured (four residents, three firefighters) (abcnews.com) vs Nine injured (four residents, three firefighters, two police officers) (bostonglobe.com, nydailynews.com, brooklynpaper.com)

Reported by abcnews.com, brooklynpaper.com, bostonglobe.com, nydailynews.com