Lithium-ion battery linked to Bronx fire that killed teen

A teenage boy died early Wednesday morning after a fire spread through an apartment building in the Bronx, according to the Fire Department of New York.

More than 100 fire and emergency medical services workers arrived at the Patterson Houses on Morris Avenue just before 1 a.m. Calls indicated flames had started on the 11th floor.

Firefighters rescued five individuals from the building. Three boys, estimated to be in their early to mid-teens, were transported by ambulance.

Two of the boys were taken to Jacobi Hospital, where one died and the other remains in critical condition. A third boy was treated at Lincoln Hospital.

Two adults were also hospitalized in critical condition: a 37-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman.

Investigators cited a lithium-ion battery as a factor in the incident, requiring hazmat teams to respond. The device has been involved in over 200 fires in the city so far in 2026.

A neighbor described the scene, stating first responders found the battery plugged in near the stove in the kitchen. She said the device exploded and blocked the entrance.

The neighbor noted that the father of the children was at the door attempting to exit when firefighters arrived. He was pulled from the apartment and received immediate care on the floor.

The FDNY held a press conference in July urging New Yorkers to store lithium-ion batteries outside their homes. That announcement came after the department reported a record number of battery-related fires for the year.