An explosion at a Crown Heights public housing complex killed an 18-year-old man Friday evening, officials confirmed.
The blast erupted around 7 p.m. On the 12th floor of Albany Houses near Prospect Place, drawing a massive emergency response of more than 120 fire and EMS personnel to the Brooklyn NYCHA development. Firefighters battled the flames and had the fire extinguished by 8 p.m., according to police and fire officials.
The teenage victim was rushed to One Brooklyn Health-Interfaith Medical Center with serious, life-threatening injuries. Hospital staff later pronounced him dead, police said. Authorities have not publicly identified the young man.
A lithium-ion battery was reportedly connected to the blaze, according to NY1. The FDNY, however, could not confirm or deny whether such a battery played a role in the explosion. The cause of the blast remains under active investigation, officials noted.
A neighbor familiar with the victim’s family spoke to PIX11 about the devastating loss. She recalled a recent conversation with the teenager’s mother, sharing that they were “talking to the mother last week…we was having good talk about our kids.”
“And that’s messed up how we both moved here young with our small children and for her to lose one…that is tremendous,” she said.
The Albany Houses, part of the New York City Housing Authority, sits in the Crown Heights neighborhood near Prospect Place. Friday evening’s explosion marks a fatal incident in a complex that, like many NYCHA developments, has faced ongoing challenges with maintenance, safety, and aging infrastructure.
The death comes amid heightened attention to lithium-ion battery fires across New York City, with e-bikes and scooters powered by such batteries linked to a growing number of blazes in residential buildings. Officials have pushed for stricter regulations on the storage and charging of these devices in multi-unit dwellings.
The investigation into Friday’s explosion continues as authorities work to determine the precise cause of the fatal fire.