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Dear New Yorkers,

The fire that ripped through a Harlem building on Friday was started by a lithium-ion battery charging in an apartment shared by six delivery workers, according to new information from the Fire Department.

The FDNY didn’t know how many batteries were charging in their third-floor apartment, located in a six-story building on St. Nicholas Place.

Journalist Fazil Khan, 27, who lived on the fourth floor, died in the fire, and 22 others were injured. Khan was an education reporter for The Hechinger Report and had contributed to THE CITY.

He was the first fatality of a battery-related fire this year. There have been 31 battery fires so far in 2024. In 2023, there were 268 such fires and 18 New Yorkers died.

Last year, Democratic New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-The Bronx) introduced legislation for a directive to create federal, mandatory standards for building and importing these batteries.

In spite of rare bipartisan support, the bills have yet to be taken up for a vote in either the House or Senate.

Read more about Khan, and efforts to regulate the batteries, here.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Tuesday's Weather Rating: 5/10. Partly sunny and warm to start, with high temps in the mid-50s. Clouds move in by afternoon and periods of rain are expected by tonight, with damp and dreary weather continuing into Wednesday morning. The vibes are trending unsettled again…

Our Other Top Stories

The union representing New York City’s retired public employees was taken over by its international union last week, after being placed under emergency administratorship over years of failed paperwork for nonprofit status. It comes as the Retirees Association of District Council 37 is helping lead opposition to Mayor Eric Adams’ push for a cost-saving health care plan known as Medicare Advantage that many worry would reduce their access to care. On the latest episode of FAQ NYC, hosts Christina and Harry talk about e-bike fires, Letitia James’s winning streak and much more. Listen here.

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Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Wednesday, Feb. 28: A screening of “Things Fall Apart,” a rarely seen and recently recovered feature film made in Nigeria and based on two of Chinua Achebe's novels, followed by a discussion. Free from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem. Wednesday, Feb. 28: The Power of Native Plants, an online webinar about the importance of native plants on local ecosystems and getting inspiration from local gardens. Free from 6 to 7:30 p.m., registration required. Friday, March 1: First Friday, an evening of salsa dancing, music and a curator-led exhibition tour of Bronx Calling: The Sixth AIM Biennial (Part One). Free from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Bronx Museum.

THE KICKER: A new media center in Red Hook, near the NYCHA Red Hook East and West Houses, is full of new equipment and free for anyone under 25 to use. It was, however, made possible by a sizable donation from Amazon, reports BK Reader.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday.

Love,

THE CITY

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