Deadly Harlem fire that killed 1, injured 18 caused by lithium-ion battery: FDNY

NEW YORK (PIX11) –  A deadly fire that killed one person and injured 18 others in Harlem on Friday afternoon was caused by a lithium-ion battery, according to a tweet by the FDNY.

“FDNY Fire Marshals have determined that Friday’s devastating fire at 2 St. Nicholas Place in Manhattan was caused by a lithium-ion battery,” the tweet read.  “The fire claimed the life of one person and injured 17 others.”

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In total 12 of the 18 victims needed to be hospitalized, including five people who were in critical condition, authorities said.

The deadly fire left dozens of residents displaced and even saw a firefighter perform a rope rescue. The firefighter had been with the fire department for less than a year, FDNY officials said.

Lithium-ion batteries are now a leading cause of fires and fire deaths in New York City, according to fire officials.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

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