BROOKLYN — A man was found dead in his burned-out apartment on Kingston Avenue on Thursday night, the second fatal fire in the area in two days, police said.
Rupert Smith, 56, was found badly burned after flames scorched the second and third floor of 451 Kingston Ave., near Empire Boulevard, about 10 p.m., injuring four other people, according to NYPD and FDNY officials.
The city's Medical Examiner will determine his cause of death, police said.
Two others suffered life-threatening injuries, but were listed in stable condition at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, an FDNY spokeswoman said.
Two more were treated at the same hospital for minor injuries, officials said.
About 60 firefighters brought the blaze under control by 10:50 p.m., an FDNY spokeswoman said.
Per #FDNY Fire Marshals: Cause of 8/10 fire at 451 Kingston Ave BK was accidental, careless smoking
— FDNY (@FDNY) August 11, 2017
Smith died just a day after a fire caused by an overloaded power strip killed 81-year-old Gertrude Duncan in Crown Heights.
