Indian killed in New York fire caused by e-bike battery
An Indian man lost his life in a deadly fire incident in New York's Harlen on Friday in the United States (US). Identified as Fazil Khan, the victim was 27 years old and died in a fire reportedly caused by a lithium-ion battery in an e-bike at the St. Nicholas Place apartment building. Furthermore, 17 other residents were injured in the incident.
All you need to know about building fire
The fire reportedly prompted rope rescues from the apartment, from which several residents jumped to escape while others used the fire escape. A local said the fire started on the top floor of the building and people jumped out of windows. While 18 people were rescued in the incident, 12 of them were admitted to a local hospital for treatment. It's also learned that four people remain in critical condition.
Indian embassy's response to Harlen building fire
The Indian embassy in New York took to X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday to confirm the death of Khan. The embassy also said that it is in touch with the 27-year-old victim's family and friends. "We continue to extend all possible assistance in repatriation of his mortal remains to India," the statement added.
You can read Indian embassy's post here
Authorities issue 'full vacate' order after incident
Following the incident, the Department of Buildings issued a "full vacate" order, and the Red Cross is helping dozens of individuals with temporary housing at a nearby school. "On the third floor, one of the apartment doors was left open where the fire was," Fire Department Chief John Hodgens was quoted as saying by ANI. "The fire was so intense, flames were coming out of that door and blocking the stairwell," added Hodgens.
Know about Khan's background
Khan was reportedly an alumnus of the Columbia Journalism School and worked as a data journalist with The Hechinger Report based at Teachers College, Columbia University. According to his LinkedIn account, the 27-year-old began his career as a copy editor at Business Standard in 2018 and later worked as a correspondent at CNN-News18 in Delhi. In 2020, Khan moved to New York to pursue a graduate degree from Columbia University.
