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Who was Fazil Khan, Indian journalist killed in New York e-bike battery fire

Feb 25, 2024 10:29 AM IST

A lithium-ion battery sparked the fire that killed Fazil Khan and injured 17 others at a six-storey apartment building in Harlem.

A 27-year-old Indian national died in a fire incident that broke out in an apartment building in New York's Harlem on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Fazil Khan.

A lithium-ion battery sparked the fire that killed Khan and injured 17 others at a six-storeyed apartment building (Twitter)
A lithium-ion battery sparked the fire that killed Khan and injured 17 others at a six-storeyed apartment building (Twitter)

The Indian Embassy in New York on Sunday morning extended its support and said that they are in touch with the victim's family and friends to repatriate his mortal remains back to India.

“Saddened to learn about death of 27-year-old Indian national Mr. Fazil Khan in an unfortunate fire incident in Harlem, NY. India in New York is in touch with the late Mr. Fazil Khan's family & friends. We continue to extend all possible assistance in reparation of his mortal remains to India,” the Indian Embassy in New York wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Who was Fazil Khan?

The victim, Fazil Khan, was working as a data reporter at the Hechinger Report based at Teachers College, Columbia University. According to his LinkedIn bio, Khan graduated from the Columbia Journalism School where he was also chosen as a post-graduate fellow for the school's Global Migration project.

He began his career in 2018 as a copy editor at Business Standard. He also worked as a correspondent at CNN-News18 in Delhi. Khan moved to New York for his education in 2020.

New York fire incident

According to the fire department of New York, a lithium-ion battery sparked the fire that killed Khan and injured 17 others at a six-storey apartment building - St. Nicholas Place - in Harlem. Reportedly, the fire began around 2pm on Friday on the third floor.

Eighteen people were rescued, out of which 12 were rushed to a local hospital and four people are currently in critical condition.

“On the third floor, one of the apartment doors was left open where the fire had started. The fire was so intense…if you could imagine, flames coming out that door and blocking off the stairwell,” fire department chief John Hodgens said, reported ANI citing local media.

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Several videos and pictures of the rescue operations also went viral on social media. Residents of the building who survived the deadly incident were forced to jump out or use the fire escape, reported ANI.

Recounting the horror, one of the survivors who escaped with his father told CBS News, “I escaped with just what I have on me - my phone, my keys, and this guy (pointing towards his father).”

Meanwhile, the department of buildings issued a full vacate order following the incident.

(With inputs from agencies)

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