Fire kills squatter inside NYC home that has history of arson and unwelcome guests
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A squatter died in a fire that broke out on Tuesday morning in a Brooklyn building with a history of arson and unwanted visitors, according to fire officials.

The victim, identified as a woman in her 40s, was found deceased inside the building after firefighters from the FDNY struggled to put out a significant blaze within the “sealed” structure located at 1237 67th Street in Dyker Heights around 8 a.m., Assistant Fire Chief David Simms explained during a briefing.


The fire in Brooklyn led to a woman's death.
A woman in her 40s, believed to be a squatter, was killed in the Brooklyn house fire. Paul Martinka

“There was a delay in getting water on the fire due to the fact that the building was cinder-blocked up,” Simms said.

The body of the squatter, who had constructed an improvised dwelling on the premises, was located in the back alley of the two-story building, Simms disclosed.

“She had built a shanty in between the basement entrance where she was squatting illegally, there was an entranceway knocked in the cinder block so she could make entry into the building,” he said.

No other injuries were reported.

There were five previous fires at the 8-bedroom home over the past two years and at least one was set by a prior squatter who was charged with arson, according to past reports and Simms. He noted the building is currently “unstable” and taped off.


The fire started around 8 a.m.
The fire started around 8 a.m. Tuesday. Paul Martinka

The owner of the $1.1 million multifamily home told The Post last year he has long struggled with squatters after the building caught fire in April 2024.

“Every two or three weeks I go there but I don’t approach,” MTA worker Zafar Iqbal previously said. 

“I don’t know if these guys have weapons or whatever. My safety is precious too.”

Firefighters at scene of Brooklyn house fire
There were five previous fires at the location over the past two years and at least one was an act of arson caused by a prior squatter.

He said in the past interview he lived in one part of the home, while renting out the rest for three years after buying it for $1.1 million in 2017, but moved out alongside his tenants to renovate it before squatters threw a wrench in those plans.

After the latest inferno on Tuesday, family members were left frustrated, thinking “Here we go again,” a relative of Iqbal told The Post.

The cause of the deadly blaze is under investigation. 

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