A fire erupted at an e-bike shop near Chinatown in New York City, leading to four fatalities and several injuries.
The fire broke out shortly after midnight on Tuesday, June 20, in a six-story building on Madison Street, housing HQ E-Bike Repair and rapidly spread to the upper-floor apartments.
Belal Alayah, a local resident, said a friend alerted him about the fire next door. He saw intense flames and called the fire department. Despite their prompt arrival, the fire escalated before it could be controlled.
John Sarrocco, a deputy assistant fire chief, said that the fire service arrived about four minutes after receiving the call. The first floor, where the e-bike store is located, was engulfed in flames.
The blaze resulted in the death of two men and two women, while two other women are in critical condition in the hospital. Additionally, a firefighter suffered minor injuries.
The cause of the fire is being investigated. Notably, electric bikes have surged in popularity in the city. They often use lithium-ion batteries, which have been implicated in several fires due to their flammable electrolyte solution. In April, a fire in Queens that claimed two children’s lives was attributed to an electric bike. Last year, nearly 200 fires and six fatalities in New York City were related to lithium-ion batteries.
City fire officials have consistently issued warnings and safety tips in response to the recurrent fires linked to lithium-ion batteries. The investigation into the cause of this recent tragedy is ongoing.