FDNY: Soundview fire blamed on e-bike batteries kills 1, injures 9

The FDNY told News 12 the fire started on the 10th floor of the building at 1440 Bronx River Ave. at around 7 p.m.

Samantha Chaney

Dec 4, 2023, 11:25 AM

Updated 318 days ago

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Residents of a Soundview apartment are grieving the loss of their neighbor – a 39-year-old man that the FDNY says died from a fire started by an e-bike.
Those neighbors told News 12 their homes and families are physically fine, but the emotional toll they feel walking through a soot-filled hallway that smells of smoke is as strong as it was Sunday night.
The FDNY says that a fire broke out inside of a 10th-floor apartment leaving nine people injured and one man dead. Fire officials say when they arrived at the scene, they found an e-bike near the entrance of that unit.
"He would have the bike in the hallway a lot," said Jamal, a neighbor of the victim. "It is really sad, but I think people should know not to charge their bikes in the house."
Other neighbors told News 12 that the victim was new to the building and recently took over the apartment that once belonged to his mother.