Officials are still investigating the cause of a fire Monday morning that trapped multiple civilians in a Sunset Park building and claimed the life of a man during evacuation.
Units responded to 3902 9th Ave. just after 7 a.m. on May 19, where they encountered heavy flames and fire coming from second-floor rear windows. Residents were seen hanging out of several windows on the second and third floors of the three-story mixed-occupancy building. Tower Ladders 114 and 148, along with Hook and Ladder 147, quickly deployed aerial and ground ladders to reach victims trapped in heavy smoke.
During the evacuation, a 53-year-old man, identified as Uber driver Ashiq Hussain, reportedly plunged to his death when an FDNY ladder suddenly retracted beneath him. Video footage reviewed by the outlet shows Hussain climbing out of a third-floor window as smoke billowed behind him, with a firefighter waiting at the top of a retractable ladder.
As Hussain stepped onto the ladder’s first rung, the top section retracted, causing him to fall onto the awning of a deli below before hitting the sidewalk. He was rushed to Maimonides Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, an NYPD spokesperson said.
The firefighter on the ladder managed to hold on and stay atop as the ladder retracted, according to the Post.
More than 60 firefighters used three hoselines to knock down the main body of the fire. Searches throughout the building found no additional victims. Two other civilians were taken to Maimonides in stable condition, where they were treated for smoke inhalation. A firefighter was also treated at the hospital for a leg injury.
An electric bike was found at the scene but is not believed to have caused the fire. The blaze was declared under control at 8:38 a.m.
FDNY Fire Marshals are investigating the cause and origin of the fire, and the department is also reviewing the ladder involved in the rescue, which has since been taken out of service.
“We are aware of an incident that took place at an all-hands fire in Brooklyn earlier this week. As is standard practice, we began a proactive investigation of the facts and circumstances surrounding the tragic death of a civilian immediately, inclusive of our Fire Marshals, Fire Operations, and our Division of Safety,” FDNY said in a statement to Brooklyn Paper.
