Six people were killed and nine others were injured when a fast-moving fire tore through a two-storey home in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighbourhood early on Thursday, 5 November.
The blaze broke out shortly before 1:40 a.m. at 653 58th Street, between Sixth and Seventh avenues, and quickly grew into a three-alarm fire. More than 200 firefighters and paramedics responded, and crews had the fire under control by about 4:30 a.m., New York City officials said.
Four of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Two others died after being taken to hospital. All six were adults, and their names had not been released by Thursday evening. The nine injured included four civilians, three firefighters and two police officers. Officials said all of the injured were expected to survive.
A fire on every floor
Firefighters arriving at the scene found flames on every floor of the wooden row house, blowing out windows and bursting from the front door, FDNY Chief of Fire Operations Kevin Woods said. Crews reached the building less than four minutes after the 911 call.
Firefighters rescued four people from the building, including two who were trapped behind window bars and reached through a rear entrance, officials said. The fire spread to neighbouring homes and displaced eight residents, who were rehoused in local hotels with help from the American Red Cross.
The home was built in 1915, according to city property records.
Cause still under investigation
The cause of the fire has not been determined, and fire marshals are continuing to investigate.
A hazardous-materials crew was called to the scene after lithium-ion batteries were found inside the home, and debris including an e-bike was visible at the scene. Officials have not established whether the batteries played any role in the fire.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, speaking at a morning news conference, said the city was facing “immense grief” and that recovery would take time. He also pointed to the wider danger of lithium-ion battery fires, saying e-bike fires in the city had risen to more than 400 this year. Seven people had already died in lithium-ion battery fires in New York City this year before Thursday’s blaze, according to reports.
Why it matters
The death toll makes the Sunset Park fire one of the deadliest residential fires in New York City this year, and the scale of the blaze — six deaths in a single home fire — is unusually high, the Associated Press reported. The investigation into the batteries found at the scene will also feed into the city’s ongoing debate over e-bike and lithium-ion battery safety, which has already prompted new rules on battery sales and storage.
What happens next
- Fire marshals will continue investigating the cause and origin of the fire, including whether the lithium-ion batteries found at the scene were involved.
- The names of the six victims are expected to be released once their families have been notified.
- Displaced residents remain in temporary hotel accommodation while the damaged homes are assessed.
FAQ
How many people died in the Brooklyn Sunset Park fire?
Six adults were killed and nine people were injured — four civilians, three firefighters and two police officers — in a three-alarm fire at a two-storey home on 58th Street in Sunset Park early on Thursday, 5 November.
What caused the Brooklyn house fire?
The cause has not been determined. Fire marshals are investigating, and lithium-ion batteries found at the scene are being examined, but officials have not established that they caused the fire.
Where did the fire happen?
At 653 58th Street, between Sixth and Seventh avenues, in the Sunset Park neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York City.
Sources
- Associated Press, via Jamaica Gleaner: “House fire in Brooklyn kills six people and injures nine as more than 200 firefighters respond”
- USA Today: “6 dead, 9 injured, including first responders, in massive Brooklyn fire”
- New York Post: “Brooklyn house fire kills 6, injures several others including 3 firefighters”
- NBC New York / AP: “Brooklyn fire today kills 6 in Sunset Park: What to know”
- Wall Street Journal: “Brooklyn House Fire Kills Six People”
