Four people died and two victims were in critical condition after an e-bike shop fire on the lower east side in Manhattan. According to an NBC New York news report, the fire erupted shortly after midnight on June 20 near the corner of Madison and Catherine Streets in the Lower East Side. More than 100 firefighters were called to battle the raging flames. It took nearly two hours to finally get the fire under control.
Fatalities and Injuries
Police said four people, including two men and two women, died in the fire. A 62-year-old woman and 71-year-old man were two of the victims who died. The ages of the others were not yet available. Five other victims were injured including two who sustained critical injuries. A firefighter and an EMT who were among those injured were said to have suffered non-life-threatening injuries. There were heavy smoke conditions throughout, and officials said that some of the people injured were located right above the store. The fire was so intense, windows were blown out on upper levels.
The Red Cross said it was providing emergency housing to eight households including 23 adults and two children. We offer our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wish the injured victims the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Fire marshals are still investigating the cause of this fatal fire. They are looking into whether lithium-ion batteries, which were found to be improperly stored, played a part in this incident. FDNY officials said the store where the fire erupted had a very large number of batteries and e-bikes, and that the fire department had already fined the shop for illegally storing e-bike batteries. The shop was due for another inspection soon, officials said.
Fires Sparked by Lithium Batteries
Fires triggered by lithium-ion batteries have been a recurring issue throughout the five boroughs for some time. In May, an e-bike battery was blamed for sparking flames that resulted in a Washington Heights apartment fire that left four people dead. FDNY said there have been 108 fires resulting in 13 deaths and dozens of injuries in 2023 alone that were linked to lithium-ion batteries.
That amounts to two additional deaths than in all of 2022. The total number of fires has also surged in recent years, quadrupling since 2019. Lawmakers have been pushing a buyback program that would allow delivery drivers to more easily replace older dangerous batteries with safer new ones.
Property Owners’ Responsibilities
New York City laws require property owners and/or property managers to maintain spaces that are safe for tenants, visitors and guests. Property owners/managers of apartment buildings are required to provide and install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in each unit. The devices should also be maintained and remain in good working order. When a fire or accident at a building is caused by negligence (carelessness) or a lack of property maintenance, the property owners and/or property managers may be held liable for the injuries and loss of life that occurs. Injured victims or families of deceased victims can file a premises liability claim against the responsible parties including, but not limited to, the property owner, property manager, maintenance/repair company, etc.
Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones can file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation as well.
Protecting Your Rights
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a fire or explosion, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. For over 51 years, our skilled attorneys have established a proven track record of assisting injured victims. One of our clients — a hot water burn victim — secured $750,000 in damages from the property owner and manager.
Our firm also obtained a $985,000 settlement out of a $1 million insurance policy for two people who suffered smoke inhalation injuries because the homeowner did not have smoke detectors installed and the $15,000 that was left on the insurance policy was for a person that we did not represent. Another of our clients recovered $2,500,000 due to a faulty space heater. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/4-dead-5-hurt-in-lower-east-side-e-bike-shop-fire-officials-ny-only-spec/4436963/