Bronx E-Bike Fire Death Toll Rises to 4
Three additional family members have died following a devastating e-bike battery fire in a New York City apartment building.
The death toll from a Bronx apartment fire, ignited by an e-bike battery, has climbed to four after three more relatives died from their injuries. The fire broke out early Wednesday in an 11th-floor apartment at the Patterson Houses, a New York City Housing Authority complex.
According to the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), the blaze erupted around 12:50 a.m., trapping residents as the burning e-bike blocked the apartment's only exit. A 10-year-old boy, identified in reports as Zion Maine, was the first fatality.
Four family members were critically injured and hospitalized. On Friday, three of them — two teenage boys, ages 15 and 16, and a 33-year-old woman — succumbed to their injuries, officials confirmed.
Relatives told the Daily News that Zion and the two older boys were half-brothers. The 16-year-old was identified as Jamaree Adam, and the woman who died was his mother, Syida Adam. Syida Adam was the girlfriend of Zion's father, Courtney, who remains in critical condition.
FDNY officials stated that the e-bike was positioned in the kitchen near the exit door, making escape impossible for residents. Firefighters had to force open the unit's front door, encountering heavy fire immediately upon entry.
Neighbors described Zion as a vibrant, funny, and energetic child who loved basketball and flavored ice popsicles. Another neighbor described him as a quiet boy who