6 people died and 9 were injured in a fire at a Chinese residence in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He was complained three times about illegal subletting.

brooklyn sunset park 58th Street BuildingSugar On the morning of the 5th, a massive fire broke out in a two-story house, killing six people and injuring at least nine. The victims included a couple engaged in decoration, a mother and daughter and a pair of grandparents. The fire spread to the adjacent house. At present there are different opinions on the cause of the fire. Some residents claimed that residents on the first floor were suspected of cutting wires and setting the fire. Officers also found a motorcycle at the scene which is suspected to be one of the starting points of the fire. City Building Bureau records show that the house was complained about three times for illegally remodeling the basement and dividing the units privately. However, inspectors were unable to enter the house four times, and the complaints were immediately closed down, drawing attention again to the safety hazards of illegal subletting in the community.

Located at 653 58th Street, this Chinese residence has two floors on the ground floor and one floor underground. According to a report from the city fire department, the fire broke out at 1:39 am on November 5. The fire department sent a deputy chief commander, two battalion commanders, four water convoy teams, three ladder convoy teams, a rescue team and a special service team. It also sent one basic and advanced life support ambulance and one emergency medical services captain on duty. A total of 10 people were reported injured and the fire was brought under control at 4:28 a.m., the report said.

It was not until the 6th that the engineering team went to the site to repair the outer walls to prevent construction material from collapsing. People gathered at the scene to watch and there was still a faint smell of burning in the surrounding area. The condition of the house where the incident took place can be seen from the balcony of the adjacent affected house. In the house where this incident took place, the stove and other places in the kitchen were also burnt to black and a lot of debris got accumulated in the backyard. The victims on the second floor included a couple who worked as decorators, a mother and daughter and a pair of grandparents. The nine injured reportedly include two residents living on the first floor, two next-door neighbours, three firefighters and two police officers.

At present there are different opinions on the reason for the incident. Some residents reported that the incident was arson, but a burnt motorcycle was also found at the scene. City Councilor Phil Wong also pointed out in the interview that some homeowners split their apartments without obtaining permission from the city, which can lead to improper wiring configuration. According to public information from the Municipal Building Bureau, three complaints were received regarding illegal construction of this residential building at this address.

The complaint alleges the owner illegally converted the basement into an apartment and divided the two-family apartment on the first and second floors into three units. However, inspectors tried to enter the home four times between September 2025 and August 2026 but were unsuccessful, and the complaint was immediately closed. Department of Buildings spokesman David Maggiotto said inspectors do not have the authority to force entry into a building.

According to city records, the building was purchased in 2019 by “One Golden Sunshine Corp.”, registered at 5722 7th Ave., which also owns commercial properties such as Crown restaurants. According to New York State Attorney General’s Office records, two people are linked to the company, namely physician Wei Wang and his wife Yun Qi Fan. City records show Wang Wei owns at least one other property nearby, but both declined to comment.

Although the neighbor who lived next door did not know the residents next door, John, who witnessed the scene of the fire, recalled the situation at the time and said, “I just realized that six people died in half an hour.” He said that everyone lives their own lives and meets and greets each other more and more, but he has never heard any arguments in the neighborhood. Regarding the sub-lease situation, he also acknowledged that such illegal sub-lease situations are common in the Chinese community.

He also pointed out that he has been in the United States for more than 10 years and has witnessed many cases of fires related to lithium battery explosions, which has deepened his safety awareness. However, he and his fellow residents hope the government will strictly regulate motorcycles in the future.

Additionally, as the fire spread to number 651 next door, the tenant on the 2nd floor continued to move important items in the house to the neighbor’s house on the 6th floor. Of the four rooms and two living rooms on the second floor, the roofs of the front two rooms closest to the source of the fire were burned. Another room near the kitchen of the house where the incident occurred was also affected. The floor was covered with soundproof cotton, debris and soot. The tenants said that the fire broke out so fast that they did not react. The Red Cross Society, which had originally assisted in the resettlement, temporarily informed them that the arrangement had been canceled when they arrived at the hotel where they wanted to stay. As a result, affected tenants had to stay for a night at their own expense. They are still looking for a temporary place to live. In this regard, Xie Xiaoqiong said that if the affected residents have any needs, they can call Zhuang Wenyi’s office at (718) 307-7151 for inquiries.