FDNY: E-bike caused Bedford Park fire that injured 8
Tenants say they have been staying outside the building as much as possible because the smell of smoke is still lingering inside.
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The FDNY says an e-bike was responsible for a fire at a Bedford Park apartment that injured eight people.
It happened at 15 East 199th St. on Sept. 28.
News 12 cameras captured black soot filling the hallways from the floor to the ceiling.
Tenants say they have been staying outside the building as much as possible because the smell of smoke is still lingering inside.
Tenants say padlocks have been placed on apartment doors that are the most damaged.
Locks are also completely broken on other doors after the fire department had to break them down to make rescues and ensure the fire was completely out.
FDNY data shows there has been 202 investigations due to e-bikes, resulting in 84 people injured and three deaths in 2024.
"What I don't understand how you could have those people living there with the bikes. He used to park the bikes over there on the pole, but you brought it into the apartment?" said Robin Jones, who lives on the third floor.
Samantha Santos lives in the apartment below where the fire started. She says her kids were sleeping when she heard an explosion upstairs.
"I don't have nothing, my kids don't have nothing, everything is damage, my kitchen is burned, everything is gone," said Santos.
News 12 reached out to the building's landlord, but they have not responded.
