Six dead as massive Brooklyn house fire leaves seven injured, including three firefighters
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: A fire in a Sunset Park home early Thursday, November 5, killed six New Yorkers and injured nine others, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
Five of those hurt were first responders.
Mamdani posted a statement on X offering condolences and said the city is moving displaced residents into safe housing.
Fire marshals are still investigating the cause and the names of the victims have not been released.
BREAKING: Six people died and seven others were injured, three of them firefighters, after a fire spread through a home in Sunset Park Brooklyn early Thursday. Firefighters responded to 58th Street, between 6th and 7th avenues, shortly before 1:40 a.m. Crews found the first and second floors fully engulfed in flames, and the fire extended to an attached neighboring building, according to fire officials. The fire was raised to two alarms at 1:46 a.m. and to three alarms at 2:10 a.m. More than 230 fire and EMS personnel tirelessly worked the scene. Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others died after they were taken to the hospital, according to fire officials. Hazmat crews were called after lithium-ion batteries were found inside the home, according to the FDNY. Fire marshals were investigating the cause, which had not been determined. Video: Diego Luzuriaga | Licensing @FreedomNTV Desk@freedomnews.tv
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) November 5, 2026
Massive fire claims six lives
The first report of the fire had come in around 1:40 a.m.
The emergency response involved more than 230 FDNY and EMS personnel.
The operation was expanded in stages, first reaching a second alarm at 1:46 a.m. before being upgraded again to three alarms at 2:10 a.m.
The fire had already spread from the two-storey residence to a neighboring building when crews arrived.
The scale of the destruction was visible after the flames were brought under control.
Photographs showed a heavily charred front facade, with firefighters continuing their work outside the property on 58th Street, between Sixth and Seventh avenues.
November 5, 2026: Brooklyn, NY (FDNY Box 2634) At least three civilians were killed in a fast-moving three-alarm fire in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn early this morning. The fire originated at 653 58th Street and spread to adjoining structures. Several other civilians were also injured in the quickly moving blaze, some critically. First arriving units encountered a heavy body of fire and quickly transmitted additional alarms. The Bureau of Fire Investigation is currently on scene investigating the origin. (David Burns/@FD4D) @FDNY @FDNYFC @UFANYC @NYCEMSwatch @UFOA854 @1010WINS @NY1 @CBSNewYork @ABC7NY @NBCNewYork @NYCFireWire @nycfire @NYCMayor @NYC_Alerts911
— David Burns 🇺🇸🗽🇺🇸 (@FD4D) November 5, 2026
Six adults lost their lives. Four were declared dead inside the building, while two others died after being taken to hospitals.
Nine other people were injured, according to Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office. They included four civilians, three firefighters and two police officers. The FDNY said the firefighters suffered minor injuries.
The investigation has also focused on a possible hazard inside the property after firefighters discovered lithium-ion batteries in the home.
Their presence prompted the FDNY to bring in hazardous-materials teams, although officials have not established any link between the batteries and the outbreak of the fire.
Mamdani responded publicly, calling the deaths “an unimaginable loss.”
He wrote: “We grieve alongside every loved one and neighbor and pray for the recovery of those injured.” He also praised the FDNY for its “swift response.”
A deadly fire burned through a home in Sunset Park this morning, killing six New Yorkers and injuring nine others, including five first responders. This is an unimaginable loss, and we grieve alongside every loved one and neighbor and pray for the recovery of those injured. I am grateful for the @fdny’s swift response. Our administration is relocating displaced New Yorkers to safe housing and connecting them to long-term support and resources. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Find fire prevention resources at https://t.co/VqBp3wQe47.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) November 5, 2026
Displaced residents and investigation
Sunset Park is a dense neighborhood of attached homes and apartment buildings on the western edge of Brooklyn.
The fire also spread to a neighboring building, highlighting the risk of flames reaching nearby properties in the closely built-up area.
The mayor said his administration is working to relocate displaced New Yorkers to safe housing.
It was also connecting them to long-term support and resources.
Officials have not said how many people lost their homes or how many lived in the damaged buildings.
Attention now turns to the investigation. Fire marshals will examine the building to learn where the fire began and what fueled it.
The lithium-ion batteries are one area investigators are examining, although their presence alone does not establish that they caused the blaze.
Fires involving those batteries have been a growing concern in New York City in recent years, and the FDNY has often warned that they can burn hot and fast.
The victims' identities have not yet been released.
