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FDNY Probes Fatal Ladder Failure During Brooklyn Fire Rescue

A 53-year-old immigrant fell to his death when a rescue ladder malfunctioned during an electrical fire in Sunset Park, prompting an ongoing investigation into equipment safety and procedures.

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Overview

  • Ashiq Hussain, a Pakistani immigrant and Uber driver, died after falling from a malfunctioning FDNY ladder during a rescue from a third-floor apartment fire in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
  • The fire, determined to be electrical in origin, also left two residents treated for smoke inhalation and a firefighter hospitalized with a leg injury.
  • Footage shows the ladder's top section suddenly retracting as Hussain stepped onto it, causing him to fall fatally to the ground; an autopsy confirmed blunt force trauma as the cause of death.
  • The FDNY has removed the ladder from service and launched an investigation involving Fire Marshals, Fire Operations, and the Division of Safety to determine the cause of the failure.
  • Hussain, who had been living alone while supporting his family in Pakistan, was remembered as a hardworking and kind man; his family is demanding accountability for the incident.