NEW YORK. – A Dominican man died and several others were injured in a fire at a house caused by lithium-ion batteries from a scooter in the Elmhurst section of Queens.
The fatal victim, whose identity was not immediately revealed, was 60 years old and from Moca, in the Dominican Republic.
The man was found unconscious and taken to a local hospital where he was declared dead.
The fire occurred around 11:00 p.m. on Friday, on 89th Street in East Elmhurst. Residents said they believed the flames were caused by an electric scooter, as firefighters removed a burned scooter from the residence.
“I unplugged the scooter, it was on the first floor. While putting cereal in a bowl, I heard an explosion, like a shot.
When I opened the door to the second floor, those stairs were already on fire in seconds.
It was a disaster,” said resident José Corona. Meanwhile, other residents affected by the flames were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
At least one firefighter also suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.
