At least 38 injured in NY highrise fire
Firefighters, using ropes and dangling off a high-rise in midtown Manhattan, rescued a woman who was trapped in a fire that injured at least 38 people Saturday, officials said.
The fire at 429 E. 52nd St. was caused by a lithium-ion battery in an electric bicycle, authorities said. The unit where the fire started had at least five e-bikes, Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn said.
Officials said they believe that a resident of the apartment repaired bikes and were investigating whether unauthorized business activity had taken place.
About 200 fires in New York City this year have been caused by lithium-ion batteries, resulting in six deaths, he said. These batteries are found in micro-mobility transportation devices such as electric bikes, scooters and hoverboards. The fires caused by the batteries are typically intense and can quickly gain momentum with any combustible objects around them, officials said.
A sign outside the apartment complex read, “No pedal or e-bikes allowed beyond this point.” Fire officials said any device that used the powerful lithium-ion batteries could cause a risk, not only those in bicycles.
Of those hurt, two were in critical condition, five were in serious condition and the rest had minor injuries, fire officials said.
GOP’s Cheney backs a Virginia Democrat
Republican Rep. Liz Cheney crossed the political aisle again this election year and endorsed a Democratic colleague in a competitive House race, backing former CIA officer Abigail Spanberger on Saturday as she seeks a third term in a newly redrawn district in northern Virginia.
Ms. Cheney, vice chair of the House committee investigating the Capitol riot and an unsparing critic of former President Donald Trump who lost to a Trump-backed challenger in her Wyoming primary in August, said in a statement that Ms. Spanberger was focused on finding solutions and “dedicated to serving this country and her constituents and defending our Constitution.”
The GOP nominee in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, which is centered around the Interstate 95 corridor in exurban Washington and rural communities to the east and west, is Yesli Vega, a county official and former police officer recently endorsed by Mr. Trump.
In the statement provided by Ms. Spanberger’s campaign, Cheney said Ms. Vega “is promoting conspiracy theories, denying election outcomes she disagrees with, and defending the indefensible.” Ms. Cheney added: “We need our elected leaders to be honest, serious, and responsible, which is why I would urge voters in Virginia’s 7th District to support Abigail Spanberger.”