59th Lithium-Ion Battery Fire This Year In NYC Kills Two People

A 7-year-old boy and a teenager were killed in a fire sparked by an e-bike’s lithium-ion battery in New York on Monday, marking the city’s fifth death in connection with the batteries this year, officials said.

Calling the incident a "terrible tragedy," New York City Fire Chief John Hodgens said the blaze started in the vestibule of the first floor of a residential building in Queens.

The blaze quickly traveled upstairs, where a man and his children were staying, NBC New York reported. Four people were able to jump out of windows, but two did not survive, Hodgens said on social media.

"The way these fires occur, it’s like an explosion of fire. The occupants have very little chance of escaping," Hodgens said.

"We have been talking about this for a couple of years and how dangerous it is to store these devices anywhere near your exit. This bike was right at the front door of the house and the occupants didn’t have a chance to get out of the building,’ he said.