A tragic incident in Brooklyn's Sunset Park has left the community mourning the loss of 53-year-old Ashiq Hussain, who fell from a ladder during a fire rescue operation on Monday morning. Hussain, a Pakistani immigrant who worked as an Uber driver to provide for his family, was attempting to escape from his third-floor apartment when the ladder retracted, causing him to fall and sustain fatal injuries.
FDNY officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. As ABC7 New York reported, details indicate that Hussain was waiting for rescue when the ladder, extended by firefighters suddenly retracted, leaving Hussain to plunge to the sidewalk. The cause of death was determined to be blunt-force trauma to the head. Despite the ongoing investigation, no firefighters have been disciplined, or taken off duty.
In response to the tragedy, the FDNY expressed its commitment to understanding the malfunction of the rescue equipment. "As is standard practice, we began a proactive investigation of the facts and circumstances surrounding the tragic death of a civilian immediately, inclusive of our Fire Marshals, Fire Operations, and our Division of Safety," the department conveyed in an official statement, as per NBC New York.
The loss of Hussain has deeply affected those who knew him in the local community, and the heartache extends to his family in Pakistan. Neighbors and friends remember him as a respectful and kind gentleman. "Really tragic to lose a father or a friend or a good friend," said Roshed Mohamed, a bodega owner on the ground floor of the burnt building, during an interview with ABC7 New York. Magid Algahmi, another local, shared his sentiment, "Very nice guy. He came in every day. He shops. Friend, my friend..."
Cellphone footage captured by a bystander showed the harrowing moments before the fall, with flames shooting out from the structure. According to a report by NBC New York, locals are still grappling with what could have caused the ladder to retract at such a critical time. "I can’t imagine how it felt for the people that were inside the building at the time," neighbor Isaías Penti remarked. "Everyone’s human, mistakes are bound to happen...but the firefighters did their best. It wasn’t their fault."
The community is rallying to support Hussain's family, who are now without their primary breadwinner. Hussain leaves behind three daughters and a son, all of whom depend on his earnings. As FDNY sources confirmed to NBC New York, the ladder involved in the rescue attempt has since been taken out of service.
