Fire on the 20th Floor — A Parent’s Worst Nightmare

Firefighters fought a four-alarm blaze at my daughter’s building in midtown Manhattan. The blaze, caused by an e-bike’s lithium-ion battery, engulfed the 20th floor. Nearly 40 people were injured, and 7 were critically harmed. The water and smoke damage displaced numerous families. Some ceilings collapsed, and toxic fumes filled the building. Elderly tenants could not climb 34 flights of stairs to check on their homes or pets.

Because my daughter’s previous building had increased their rent by 30%, she had to move immediately. But neither of us thought to check the following:

1. Functioning fire alarms: Does the apartment have fire alarms? Do they work? Have you checked?
2. Proper signage for fire evacuation: Are fire exits marked? Is the signage working?
3. Clutter in the hallways or stairwells: No furniture, trashcans, bikes, or wheelchairs should ever be in the stairwells or hallways. They are a fire hazard and can impede firefighters from entering an apartment.
4. Firedoors left open: No fire door should ever be propped open in a fireproof building, allowing a blaze to rip through a floor.
5. No E-bikes — EVER: About 200 fires in New York City this year have been caused by lithium-ion batteries, resulting in six deaths. So if you see them…