Conflict · Bronx explosion · ArchiveOne Dead as Bronx Explosion Investigation Centers on E-Bike BatteryAired August 7, 2026 at 1:16 AM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00One person is dead, two more have0:01life-threatening injuries, and dozens0:03are displaced after an explosion and0:05massive fire tore through a five-story0:07apartment building in the [music] Bronx.0:08The cause remains under investigation0:10tonight, but police sources tell CBS0:12News a lithium-ion battery, possibly0:14from an e-bike, may be involved. The0:16fire erupted with a loud explosion,0:18according to residents. Crews arrived0:20within 3 minutes, but heavy flames were0:22already blowing out of multiple windows.0:24More than 300 fire and EMS personnel0:27spent several hours fighting the blaze0:29before it could be knocked down. FDNY0:31personnel discovered one victim dead0:33inside the wreckage of the 14 injured.0:35Two have life-threatening injuries. At0:37one point, part of the third floor0:39collapsed into the [music] second floor,0:40forcing commanders to pull first0:42responders out of the building for their0:44safety. Dozens of residents from all 270:46units are now receiving help from the0:48Red Cross. Police sources tell CBS News0:51that a lithium-ion battery, possibly0:53[music] from an e-bike, may have been0:54involved, but that is not an official0:56finding. The fire marshal's office is0:58still working to reach a final1:00determination. [music]1:01The gap between a police tip and a1:02confirmed cause is where this1:04investigation now sits. The answer will1:06determine whether the destruction was an1:08unpredictable accident or [music] part1:10of a years-long pattern of lethal1:12battery fires that New York City1:14officials have struggled to contain.1:16There's also a small but unresolved1:17discrepancy. [music] CBS News on-air1:20reporting cited 14 injured, while the1:21network's own YouTube description listed1:2315. That count has not been reconciled.1:26For the dozens of residents now1:27depending [music] on the Red Cross, the1:29final answer may bring either closure or1:31an urgent warning about a hazard that1:32continues to threaten communities.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗