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Mamdani administration says 7 more people died inside NYC homes due to cold exposure
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Mar 3, 2026
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By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Mar 3, 2026
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The death toll from the cold snap that gripped New York City for several weeks rose to 29 as city officials on Tuesday acknowledged seven more people died of hypothermia inside homes.
City Hall did not provide further information on whether the people lacked heat in their buildings. But the growing number of deaths raises questions about whether Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration did enough to prepare vulnerable New Yorkers for a record stretch of freezing temperatures that started around Jan. 23 and lasted until Feb. 10.
Nearly half of those who died of cold exposure — 14 — were found inside private residences. Another 15 people died outside, according to officials.
The latest count reflects the finalized investigations from city medical examiners, who found three deaths initially thought to be cold-related were from overdoses and one was cardiac-related.
The New York Post on Tuesday first reported the additional indoor cold deaths.
During the recent blizzard that walloped the city, Mamdani increased homeless outreach by more than doubling the number of warming facilities. There are no known deaths at this time from the blizzard, officials said.
The mayor said last month that his administration sought to make adjustments after the earlier snowstorm in January.
“We're always looking to hold ourselves to a standard of excellence,” he said.
Tagged
Politics
Zohran Mamdani
housing
new york city
public safety
weather
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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