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Google PlayAs an explosive fire raged through a Manhattan apartment building, two teenagers were filmed escaping the blaze by climbing out a fourth floor window and sliding down an exterior pole.
According to the New York City Fire Department, the incident took place at around 7:15 Thursday morning at the NYCHA-run Riis Houses in the East Village. Cellphone footage showed thick plumes of smoke billowing from the 14-story building, as the teens came out a window and latched on to a construction conduit while bystanders watched in horror.
“They were about to jump out the window, but everyone kept telling them, ‘Hold on! Hold on!’” neighbor Tashaka Owens told ABC 7. “So when they held on, they got onto the side of the pole, and they started sliding down … and those kids, they made it down.”
Authorities have not identified the teens, but said one was a 13-year-old boy and the other an 18-year-old woman. The teens are said to be in stable condition after they treated for burns and smoke inhalation. The FDNY confirmed a 32-year-old man was killed in the fire, and a 46-year-old woman was left critically injured.
“Early yesterday morning in the East Village, a fire on the fourth floor caused the death of a young man, left a woman clinging to life, and injured two teenagers,” FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro told reporters Friday.
Authorities said the two-alarm fire broke out after neighbors heard an explosion. Though the investigation is ongoing, the FDNY believes the blaze was caused by lithium-ion batteries from an electric bike located inside the apartment.
“This is an alarming trend. Last year we had 44 fires and no deaths, this year we have had 93 fires, more than 70 injuries and now four deaths caused by lithium-ion battery fires,” Nigro continued. “These batteries, when they are damaged or overcharged, explode violently. We are urging people not to charge these in areas of egress, places where people are sleeping. I would prefer if they were charged outdoors or in an unoccupied space. We need to make sure people buy authorized batteries. This is a serious trend, going back a few years this did not occur, and as the number of batteries grow, the danger will grow. In order to prevent further loss of life, we need to use these properly and safely.”
