Daijiworld Media Network - New York
New York, Nov 6: A massive fire engulfed a two-storey house in Brooklyn early Thursday, killing six people and injuring nine others, including three firefighters and two police officers, according to the city's fire department.
More than 200 emergency responders rushed to the scene of the blaze at a row house in the Sunset Park neighbourhood. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Fire spread across every floor of the building by the time firefighters arrived, with flames emerging from the windows and the front entrance, said Kevin Woods, the department's chief of fire operations, during a news conference near the severely damaged property.
Firefighters rescued four people by entering the two-unit house through a rear entrance. Two of them were trapped behind window bars and were brought to safety. Woods said the rapid response had been crucial in saving their lives.
The blaze, which also damaged an adjoining house, was brought under control in approximately three hours. Eight neighbours were displaced and shifted to hotels.
The property was part of a block of 25 wood-frame row houses, which share common walls and exterior structures. Describing the incident as devastating, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the neighbourhood would need considerable time to mourn those who lost their lives and recover from the tragedy.
The nine injured people were expected to survive. The three firefighters and two police officers who sustained minor injuries were among them. The identities of the deceased have not been released.
Fire marshals are investigating the incident. A lithium-ion battery was found at the scene, but officials have not established whether it was connected to the fire.
The house was built in 1915, according to city property records. The incident comes a week after an e-bike battery fire killed a boy in the Bronx. Fire officials said more than 400 fires in New York City have been linked to lithium-ion batteries this year, resulting in at least six deaths and more than 70 injuries.
City records show that the property was sold by a family to a company named One Golden Sunshine Corp. a few years ago. Complaints filed with the city's building department in 2025 alleged that the basement was being illegally converted into an apartment and that construction had been carried out without a permit for a month.
City inspectors visited the property several times, including in August, but were unable to gain access.