An elderly woman was killed in a fire in Queens caused by a lithium-ion battery in an e-bike repair shop. The building had been illegally converted and the owner was issued violations. This incident adds to the growing number of deaths related to e-bike battery fires. The building is located near the former hangout of mobster John Gotti. Thomas Tracy,JOHN ANNESE reported
FDNY officials confirmed on Sunday that a lithium-ion battery was responsible for the fatal fire that took the life of an elderly woman residing above an e-bike repair shop in Queens. The tragic incident occurred on Friday afternoon on 101st Ave. near 98th St., resulting in the death of 93-year-old Kam Mei Koo. According to a witness, an e-bike was being charged within the Ozone Park building at the time.
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Further investigations conducted by the Buildings Department revealed that the cellar was being utilized as an e-bike repair facility, while the first floor of the two-story building had been unlawfully converted into a loft-style apartment. As a result, the agency issued two violations to the owner, identified as JM&N Group LLC. – one for carrying out unauthorized construction work to create the loft space and another for illegal occupancy on both the first floor and in the cellar.
Following the discovery of extensive fire damage on both floors, building inspectors issued a complete evacuation order for the premises. This incident adds to a concerning trend, as the Fire Department reported that 13 individuals have lost their lives in fires caused by e-bike batteries during the first half of 2023. This figure includes four fatalities in Manhattan’s Chinatown in June, where a fire erupted at an e-bike repair shop.
The burnt building in Ozone Park is located across from the former Bergin Fish and Hunt Club, which was once a well-known gathering place for notorious mobster John Gotti of the Gambino crime family. However, the club has been closed for over 15 years.
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