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UPDATE: E-bike fire injures 43 in Midtown East apartment building
By
Michelle Bocanegra
and
Jake Offenhartz
Published Nov 5, 2022
Modified Nov 6, 2022
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Isabelle OHara for Shutterstock
By
Michelle Bocanegra
and
Jake Offenhartz
Published Nov 5, 2022
Modified Nov 6, 2022
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A three-alarm fire erupted in a Midtown apartment building on Saturday, leaving more than 40 people injured, with some in serious and critical condition, according to fire department officials.
Officials received reports of fire and smoke from a residential building on East 52nd Street just before 10:30 a.m. Firefighters got the flames under control about an hour later, according to the fire department.
Forty-three people were injured in the blaze, including two building residents, who suffered life-threatening injuries, according to officials. Eleven firefighters and two police officers were treated for minor injuries following the response.
The fire, which began on the 20th floor of the building, was caused by a lithium ion battery, according to Commissioner Laura Kavanagh. Two people were rescued directly from the apartment where the fire originated.
Chief Fire Marshal Dan Flynn said the department has responded to nearly 200 fires this year “where the cause of the fire is a lithium ion battery for a micromobility device.”
“This particular problem, we believe, the occupant was repairing [electronic] bikes in the building and the fire was right behind the front door,” Flynn said at a press conference Saturday afternoon. “We recovered at least five bikes from this apartment.”
Several residents of the building, which had fireproofing protections in place, made their way to the roof, and were instructed to stay there by firefighters. Other residents were instructed to stay in their units, officials said.
Video shared widely on social media showed firefighters dangling from a rope while helping to pull a woman through a broken window.
Frank Leeb, the FDNY’s acting chief of training, said the “incredibly risky” rope operation was necessary to free a woman who had gotten stuck on the child-proof gate on the building’s window.
The four members placed on a rope were identified on Sunday as Belvon Koranteng and Artur Podgorski of Ladder 16, Darren Harsch of Rescue 1, and Adam Nordenschild of Ladder 2.
This story was updated to reflect an increase in the number of reported injuries.
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Michelle Bocanegra
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Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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