On the afternoon of May 20th, around 3:30 p.m., a 16-story cooperative apartment building in Flushing, Queens on Kissena Boulevard caught fire. The fire originated from a unit on the second floor of the building, with flames bursting out from the balcony and thick smoke billowing into the sky, prompting residents to evacuate urgently.
The fire incident occurred at 43-10 Kissena Boulevard in the 16-story cooperative apartment building. Videos taken by residents showed the balcony of the burning unit engulfed in flames, with black smoke rising continuously. A resident on the 9th floor smelled a strong odor, prompting them to evacuate and capture footage of the fire scene downstairs at 3:35 p.m. They mentioned that despite the fierce blaze, the firefighters managed to extinguish the fire rapidly, gaining full control within approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
The fire resulted in injuries to 5 individuals, including 3 police officers and 2 residents. A Hispanic female resident felt unwell after escaping and requested water from firefighters, who suggested that the fire may have been caused by a lithium battery of an electric motorcycle. Other residents mentioned seeing an electric motorcycle parked on the balcony of the burning unit, with the bike intact but the battery not on the vehicle, leading to suspicions that the battery ignited while charging inside the house. However, these claims have not been confirmed by the fire department, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The hot weather that day, with temperatures reaching 34 degrees Celsius, contributed to high electricity usage in the building.
Mr. Chen, a resident, mentioned that the building’s management committee conducts annual safety inspections within units, with regulations prohibiting the placement of washing machines, dryers, and unauthorized alterations. According to New York State law, residents in co-op apartments are not prohibited from charging electric motorcycles or scooters in their units, but charging in common areas such as the lobby and corridors is strictly forbidden. While this building enforces state regulations, the neighboring apartment complex has stricter rules, prohibiting charging even within individual units.
The apartment building, constructed in the 1960s, houses nearly 200 units, with a majority of residents being of Chinese descent. A Chinese resident who moved in 2013 mentioned that this is the 4th fire incident since she moved in, with previous incidents caused by elderly individuals mishandling stoves twice and an old refrigerator’s wire melting due to hot weather.
Following the fire, thick smoke spread upwards, leading to some elderly residents inhaling smoke and feeling unwell due to the stressful evacuation from the building.
The New York City Fire Department has advised against charging lithium batteries indoors due to the intense and rapid spread of fires caused by them, recommending the use of lithium batteries certified by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. They also suggest not obstructing entrances with electric motorcycles and ensuring the use of approved batteries to prevent such incidents from occurring.