6 people killed after 3-alarm fire destroys Brooklyn, New York, home, injures residents and firefighters

NEW YORK -- Six people died and several others were injured after a three-alarm fire tore through a home in Brooklyn, New York early Thursday morning.

The fire broke out just before 1:40 a.m. at a home on 58th Street in Sunset Park. Flames shot from the windows as firefighters battled the blaze, which officials said appears to have started on the second floor before spreading throughout the two-story building.

Four adults were pronounced dead at the scene. Two others, a man and a woman, died while being transported to the hospital.

Four residents and three firefighters suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Another victim was reported to be in critical condition.

Firefighters remained at the scene Thursday morning after bringing the fire under control. Crews were seen pouring water onto the home as thick smoke filled the air. Ladders extended above the building while firefighters worked to extinguish the flames and searched for any fire hidden behind walls and siding.

The damage to the home was extensive. The front of the building was heavily charred, with much of its exterior destroyed.

Two lithium-ion batteries were found at the scene, and investigators are working to determine whether they played any role in the fire. The cause remains under investigation.

The fire displaced multiple residents. The American Red Cross is assisting those left homeless by the blaze with temporary housing.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani appeared on a television news broadcast Thursday morning and praised the efforts of the FDNY.

"We are currently tracking this fire that claimed the lives of six New Yorkers. It is devastating, and it is a reflection of a number of things. One, I want to always acknowledge the courage of our firefighters. who go in every single day, who go in every single day, no matter what the level of danger is, looking to save peoples lives," Mamdani said. "And two, the importance of fire safety in this time. We are investigating what the cause of this fire is, but I can tell you that e-bike fires as a whole have increased to more than 400 fires this year. They are something that can cause people to lose their lives as well as their livelihoods. We are really looking at every avenue we have to keep them safe."

Before this fire, seven people had died in lithium-ion battery fires so far this year. Four of them, a mother and three children, died in a fire last week in the Bronx.