Brooklyn house fire that killed three generations of same family blamed on battery used in electric scooter

A house fire in Brooklyn, New York, that killed three generations of the same family was caused by a lithium-ion battery, according to the FDNY.

Albertha West, 81, her son, Michael West, 58 and her grandson, 33-year-old Jamiyl West, were all pronounced dead on Sunday 12 November, as a result of the incident.

Hundreds of firefighters responded to the blaze, which broke out at a three-storey home in Crown Heights.

FDNY commissioner Laura Kavanagh said 17 people have been killed in fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in 2023.

The batteries, prone to overheating, are often found in e-bikes and electric scooters.