A devastating Bronx e-bike fire that initially claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy has deepened into a catastrophic family loss, with three more relatives succumbing to their injuries.
The Escalating Toll at Patterson Houses
The tragedy began at approximately 12:50 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, when a lithium-ion battery inside an e-bike exploded in the kitchen of an 11th-floor apartment at the Patterson Houses on Morris Avenue near East 140th Street in Mott Haven. The sudden blast and subsequent fire blocked the family’s only available exit.
Zion Maine, 11, died at Jacobi Medical Center shortly after the fire was snuffed out. Days later, the death toll climbed. His 15-year-old half-brother, CJ Maine, passed away at Jacobi Hospital after his family made the agonizing decision to remove him from life support. Jamaree Adam, 16, the son of the boys’ father’s girlfriend, also died at the hospital on Friday. Late Friday night, Fire Department officials confirmed that the girlfriend, 33-year-old Syida Adam, had also died from her injuries.
The boys’ father, 37-year-old Courtney Maine, remained hospitalized in critical condition following the fire, leaving him as the only surviving member of the five family members trapped inside the apartment. The family’s pit bull, Roscoe, also perished in the blaze.
Firefighters Crawl Past Flames to Rescue Apartment Victims
Firefighters arrived at the Bronx apartment building within four minutes of the emergency call. After forcing open the front door, crews were met by heavy fire. In a high-stakes rescue, firefighters crawled past the uncontrolled flames to search the apartment and pull the victims out before the fire could be fully extinguished.
“Our firefighters then made an incredibly brave decision to crawl past that uncontrolled burning fire to conduct searches throughout the rest of the apartment,” FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito said.
“The battery’s cells go into thermal runaway, which makes a small fire turn into a very big fire, very, very quickly. These lithium-ion battery fires can kill you, they can kill your family, they can kill your neighbors, and they can kill our first responders,” said FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore.
According to FDNY data, lithium-ion battery fires have sparked 401 blazes citywide in 2026, resulting in 74 injuries and six deaths. This marks an increase from the previous year when 292 similar fires caused 51 injuries and one death.
Context of the Gifted Bike and Family Loss
Relatives shared that the e-bike at the center of the tragedy had been given to Courtney Maine by a friend so he could secure extra work to provide for his family. Family members noted that he worked at a car wash while also picking up painting and carpentry jobs.
“He’s a hardworking man. He got the bike from a friend so he could find other work,” Justin Wildman said of his brother. “His friend saw him riding a kid’s bike, so he gave him the new bike.”
Young Zion Maine had been grieving the loss of his mother, who passed away from breast cancer about a year prior to the fire. Relatives described him as a sweet, smart boy who loved football and basketball. Just hours before the fire, Courtney Maine shared a message on social media reflecting on his aspirations for his household: “Once you get to a certain point in life, all you really want is God, family, stability, good health, and peace.”
