NYC Braces for Lethal Temps as Medical Examiner Reveals Details on Winter Storm Deaths
As New York City prepares to face some of its coldest nights yet, the city medical examiner's office has released details about the early deaths tied to January's winter storm. Five people died from hypothermia caused by exposure to the cold, with all five cases ruled accidental and occurring between Jan. 24 and Jan. 26 across four boroughs.
The investigation found that alcohol or ethanol intoxication contributed to three of the deaths, while methamphetamines played a role in another case. The fifth person died outside St. Barnabas Hospital, where several neighbors had called 311 before the storm hit but were unable to prevent Frederick Jones' death.
Despite having stable housing nearby, Jones, 67, froze to death on 3rd Avenue in Manhattan, with his cause of death listed as hypothermia and "acute alcohol intoxication" as a contributing factor. Another victim, Nolberto Jimbo Niola, 52, died on a park bench near 96th Street and 34th Avenue due to hypothermia, with "acute ethanol intoxication" listed by the medical examiner's office.
The city has reported a total of 17 outdoor deaths in the brutal cold, but officials have not released the names of any of the dead, including those who died more than two weeks ago. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has vowed to increase outreach efforts to prevent further deaths as temperatures plummet on Saturday night, with lows expected to reach 5 degrees and winds making it feel like 20 below zero.
The mayor announced that 10 schools have been reopened as warming centers, and additional workers have been deployed to do outreach. However, the city's coordination of its various systems has been criticized, including a report from the Urban Justice Center's Safety Net Project, which found that NYPD officers had pushed homeless people out of subway stations or threatened to remove their tents and tarps.
The mayor's office has since agreed to change this policy, instructing the NYPD not to remove homeless people from subway stations unless they pose a danger to themselves or others. However, the city will continue to ticket anyone who threatens or harasses other people, and bring them inside to a precinct.
As temperatures drop, tenants have made a record number of complaints about a lack of heat and hot water, with 80,000 reported in January alone. The city has struggled to keep up with these demands, with at least one hospital outage causing chaos on Saturday morning.
As New York City prepares to face some of its coldest nights yet, the city medical examiner's office has released details about the early deaths tied to January's winter storm. Five people died from hypothermia caused by exposure to the cold, with all five cases ruled accidental and occurring between Jan. 24 and Jan. 26 across four boroughs.
The investigation found that alcohol or ethanol intoxication contributed to three of the deaths, while methamphetamines played a role in another case. The fifth person died outside St. Barnabas Hospital, where several neighbors had called 311 before the storm hit but were unable to prevent Frederick Jones' death.
Despite having stable housing nearby, Jones, 67, froze to death on 3rd Avenue in Manhattan, with his cause of death listed as hypothermia and "acute alcohol intoxication" as a contributing factor. Another victim, Nolberto Jimbo Niola, 52, died on a park bench near 96th Street and 34th Avenue due to hypothermia, with "acute ethanol intoxication" listed by the medical examiner's office.
The city has reported a total of 17 outdoor deaths in the brutal cold, but officials have not released the names of any of the dead, including those who died more than two weeks ago. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has vowed to increase outreach efforts to prevent further deaths as temperatures plummet on Saturday night, with lows expected to reach 5 degrees and winds making it feel like 20 below zero.
The mayor announced that 10 schools have been reopened as warming centers, and additional workers have been deployed to do outreach. However, the city's coordination of its various systems has been criticized, including a report from the Urban Justice Center's Safety Net Project, which found that NYPD officers had pushed homeless people out of subway stations or threatened to remove their tents and tarps.
The mayor's office has since agreed to change this policy, instructing the NYPD not to remove homeless people from subway stations unless they pose a danger to themselves or others. However, the city will continue to ticket anyone who threatens or harasses other people, and bring them inside to a precinct.
As temperatures drop, tenants have made a record number of complaints about a lack of heat and hot water, with 80,000 reported in January alone. The city has struggled to keep up with these demands, with at least one hospital outage causing chaos on Saturday morning.
I mean, think about it... you gotta feel sorry for Frederick Jones, 67, who just froze to death on the sidewalk... no one knew he was out there, no friends, family, neighbors came looking... it's like, how do we as a society not look out for each other when things get tough? and what's with the lack of heat and hot water in these buildings? it's not right... I guess that's just the harsh reality of living in a city where resources are scarce... but still, 80,000 complaints? that's a lot... what can we do to make a change, you know? 
On the other hand, I kinda think it's awesome that the city is finally acknowledging that police officers shouldn't be kicking homeless people out of subway stations... about time, right? 
But now that they've agreed to change the policy, we should be seeing some real changes, not just token gestures. 
I'm literally shivering just thinking about those poor souls who froze to death in the middle of winter 
Like, how can we not be prepared for this? The city's doing everything it can, but 17 deaths is still way too many 
And what's with all these complaints about heat and hot water? I mean, can't they just install some decent heating systems in all the buildings already? It's like, basic human rights, right? 
The mayor's trying to do better, but it's not enough. We need real solutions here, not just temporary fixes 
the fact that some people are being pushed out of subway stations and threatened by police is unacceptable, and i'm glad the mayor has agreed to change this policy 
. It's all well and good to say you're going to change, but until then, people are still getting pushed around and left out in the cold. And what about those who can't just "move" because of their circumstances? It's not that easy.
. Like, what's the point of even having warming centers if you're just going to ticket people for showing up?
nyc is literally one of the most unforgiving cities in winter & it's just not fair that some people can't even get warm heat at home 
10 schools as warming centers is a good start but we need more 
anyway, i hope the mayor can get some things together & make sure everyone stays safe 
what kind of system do we have here? can't even keep our own people warm in the middle of a winter storm. anyway, hope the warming centers work out for everyone who needs it 
We need to get our priorities straight and take care of each other! 
I'm really worried about people struggling to cope with the extreme cold in NYC. Five people lost their lives due to hypothermia and it's just heartbreaking 
. It's not just about numbers, it's about human lives 
I'm so worried about all those people who lost their lives due to hypothermia and stuff... it's just not right that they had to die from something that can be prevented with proper care and resources. The city needs to step up its game and make sure everyone has access to a warm place, food, and water, especially during these harsh weather conditions.
. That's something, right? But we need to do so much more than that... we need to address the root causes of homelessness and poverty, not just treat the symptoms. It's time for some real change in this city