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.
The flames broke out just before 4 a.m. on the second floor of an apartment building on Brighton 3rd Street. Officials said two children were inside the apartment, but they were able to escape.
"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.
"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.
