By Colin Mixson, Rocco Parascandola, Ellen Moynihan
New York Daily News
NEW YORK — A 69-year-old Brooklyn man died when he was trapped in his apartment early Wednesday by a fire sparked by an exploding e-bike battery, FDNY officials said.
The victim was killed by the blaze that broke out about 3:40 a.m. Wednesday in his second-floor apartment on Brighton 3rd St. near Brightwater Court in Brighton Beach.
FDNY Chief Fire Marshal Dan Flynn said the victim was unable to evacuate after a lithium-ion battery stored in his apartment blew up.
“The device was blocking the egress of the person that succumbed to their injuries,” Flynn said, speaking to reporters outside the building. “Do not put these devices between you and the front door. You have to have a plan. Make sure you can get out.”
The victim was identified as Georgiy Kizyun by his ex-wife Larisa Yaneva, who lives across the hall from him.
Kizyun lived with his daughter and her husband, who were both hurt trying to put out the fire but are expected to survive. The couple’s children also live in the apartment but were not hurt.
Kizyun died at the scene.
Kizyun’s daughter was headed into surgery for fourth-degree burns to her arms, back and legs said Yaneva.
“She’s in the hospital. It’s not good. Arm problems, back problems,” said Yaneva. “Two weeks in the hospital,” she predicted.
The victim’s son-in-law is also hospitalized.
Yaneva was on her way to purchase fresh clothing for her grandchildren when she spoke to the Daily News hours after the blaze was put out.
“They don’t have clothes, nothing,” she said.
Flynn said it was “impossible” for people to put out lithium-ion fires on their own.
“Do not try to extinguish these fires,” he warned. “Call 911 as quickly as possible. You will not be able to put these things out on your own. You need the fire department to put them out.”
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito described heavy fire conditions inside the apartment which firefighters were able to contain thanks to swift action and rapid hose deployment.
“When lithium-ion batteries ignite, it’s a much more serious, more involved fire,” he said. “I would say we were lucky to do that as quickly as we did considering the heavy fire conditions.”
The battery was purchased online and fire marshals suspect it was not certified. At the time of the fire the smoke detector had been removed from the victim’s apartment, said the FDNY.
One firefighter was also injured while battling the blaze but is expected to recover, the FDNY said.
Fourteen people were killed in e-bike fires in New York City last year. There have been four fatal fires caused by lithium-ion batteries this year, said the FDNY.
“This is number four and it’s too many,” said FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker. “I will not stop talking about unregulated lithium-ion batteries and the dangers that they cause until we’re at zero.”
©2024 New York Daily News.
Visit nydailynews.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
