Four Relatives Die After Bronx E-Bike Fire

An e-bike battery ignited inside the kitchen in an apartment on the 11th floor of the Patterson Houses in the Bronx shortly before 1 a.m. on October 28, killing a 10-year-old boy and later claiming the lives of three relatives, officials said. The 15- and 16-year-old boys and a 33-year-old woman died on October 30 after being hospitalized.

The burning bike was near the apartment’s front door, blocking the family’s exit. Firefighters had to force the door open and encountered heavy fire inside, FDNY officials said. The 10-year-old, identified as Zion Maine, was taken to a hospital but could not be saved.

The three relatives who died later were the boy’s two teenage half-brothers and Syida, the mother of the older teen, according to relatives cited in one account. Zion’s father, Courtney Maine, 37, was also hospitalized after the fire.

Neighbors remembered Zion as energetic and well liked. One described him as a basketball fan, while another said he stayed out of trouble. A resident of the housing complex said the boy was loved in the community.