Flames broke out just before 4 a.m. Tuesday on Brighton 2nd Street in the Brighton Beach section.
When firefighters arrived, they were met with heavy flames coming from the rear bedroom, which is where they found the 69-year-old victim.
The FDNY said they also found an e-bike and batteries in the bedroom.
"The occupants were home at the time of the fire, they heard it fail, it made a noise, they attempted to extinguish that fire...clearly they were unable to extinguish the fire," said Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn. "The device was blocking the egress of the person who succumbed to injuries from the fire."
Five people were in the apartment at the time of the fire, two others suffered minor injuries unsuccessfully attempting to extinguish the fire. Additionally, two children got out without being hurt.
The device is believed to have been purchased online and does not appear to be certified. Additionally, the smoke detector had been removed from the apartment.
This marked the fourth lithium-ion fire death so far this year, down from 14 at this time last year.
"Although deaths have decreased because people are listening, this is number four and it's too many and I will not stop talking about unregulated lithium-ion batteries and the dangers that they cause until we are at zero," said FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker.
Fire officials say there is no way to extinguish a lithium-ion battery on your own and to call the fire department right away.
ALSO READ | The 2024 Fall Foliage Forecast with the Leaf Daddy: Weather or Not
The 2024 Fall Foliage Forecast with the Leaf Daddy | Weather or Not
----------
* More Brooklyn news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Follow us on YouTube