A 27-year-old Indian national, who worked as a journalist here, tragically lost his life in a fire incident in an apartment building in Manhattan.
Fazil Khan was killed in the fire that broke out in a six-story residential building at 2 St. Nicholas Place in Harlem, Manhattan that left about 17 other people injured. Khan is a journalist with New York-based media company The Hechinger Report, which is focused on innovation and inequality in education.
The New York City Fire Department said that its marshals have determined that the "devastating" fire was caused by a lithium-ion battery.
The Consulate General of India in New York expressed condolences on Khan's death and said it is extending all possible assistance to repatriate his mortal remains to his family in India.
"Saddened to learn about death of 27-year-old Indian national Mr. Fazil Khan in an unfortunate fire incident in Harlem, NY. India in New York is in touch with the late Mr. Fazil Khan's family & friends. We continue to extend all possible assistance in reparation of his mortal remains to India," the Indian Embassy in New York posted on X.
Khan was a data reporter at The Hechinger Report and according to his profile on X, he was an alumnus of Columbia Journalism School.
The Hechinger Report said in a post on X that it learned Saturday that Khan died in a fire in the New York City building where he lived. "We are devastated by the loss of such a great colleague and wonderful person, and our hearts go out to his family. He will be dearly missed," it said.
Firefighters said the fire originated in the building's 3rd floor, according to CBS News.
At 2:14 pm Friday, the FDNY responded to the 2-alarm fire at 2 St.Nicholas Place in Harlem. Firefighters arrived within minutes to find people on the fire escape. People were also seen hanging out the windows on the fifth floor, the fire department said.
Joseph Pfeifer, the Fire Department's first deputy commissioner, had said on Friday that one person was in critical condition at the scene but died at the hospital. At the time, the victim's identity had not been released.
CBS News reported that the raging fire forced dramatic and rare rope rescues. To save their lives, the residents were also forced to jump or use the fire escape.
Meanwhile, according to fire officials, 18 people were rescued. Moreover, 12 were rushed to a local hospital and four victims remain in critical condition, CBS News reported.
Following the incident, a full vacate order has been issued by the Department of Buildings and the Red Cross is assisting dozens of people with temporary housing at a school nearby.
According to the FDNY, in 2023, lithium-ion batteries caused 267 fires, 150 injuries and 18 deaths in the city. There have been 24 lithium-ion battery fire investigations and eight injuries so far this year, as reported by CBS News.
These rechargeable batteries are found in electric bikes and scooters, cars, laptops, tablets, phones and common household devices.
Lithium-ion battery fires have caused deaths, serious injuries and devastating damage to property around the city, the department said on its website.
(With inputs from PTI & ANI)
