Lithium-ion battery sparks deadly fire in Brooklyn. FDNY pleads with public to heed these warnings.
NEW YORK -- A lithium-ion battery sparked a deadly fire early Wednesday morning in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, the FDNY says.
A 69-year-old grandfather was killed in the blaze, and two other family members were treated for minor injuries. A firefighter also suffered minor injuries.
4th death from lithium-ion battery fire this year, FDNY says
The flames broke out just before 4 a.m. on the second floor of an apartment building on Brighton 3rd Street.
"The occupants were home at the time of the fire, they heard the battery fail, it made a noise. They attempted to extinguish that fire, clearly were unable to extinguish the fire," FDNY Chief Fire Marshal Dan Flynn said on the scene. "The device was blocking the egress of the person that succumbed from their injuries. That's a message that we've been pushing out from the start - do not put these devices between you and the front door. You have to have a plan, make sure you can get out."
Fire officials added the lithium-ion battery was purchased online and did not appear to be a certified device. They also stressed the importance of calling 911 right away and making sure smoke detectors are in working order; fire officials said there were no smoke alarms in the apartment where the fire broke out.
"Do not try to extinguish these fires. Call 911, let us get out there to extinguish these. You will not be able to put these things out on your own," Flynn said.
Four people have been killed in fires caused by lithium-ion batteries so far this year, compared to 14 by this time last year. While there has been an improvement, officials say even one death is too many.
Earlier this year, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that prohibits the sale of batteries that don't meet certain manufacturing standards, requires retailers to provide manuals for the batteries, and requires training materials for first responders.
On the national level, the House of Representatives also passed the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act, which requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish a safety standard for these devices.
The FDNY has a whole page dedicated to lithium-ion batteries and these safety warnings here.
Couple suffers burns in Brooklyn lithium-ion battery fire
Larisa Yaneva lives in the building in the unit next door to her daughter on the second floor. She says her daughter and her daughter's husband suffered burns to their hands, legs and backs trying to put out the fire.
The couple managed to escape with their two young kids, however the burning scooter was blocking the bedroom door of the 69-year-old grandfather, who was trapped.
"He's a very nice man," one person said.
"We lost a man, and it's just incredible tragedy," said Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny.
While Yaneva was speaking to CBS News New York, her daughter phoned from the hospital, saying she had suffered fourth-degree burns and was going in for surgery.