The death toll from the recent stretch of extremely cold weather in New York City continued to mount Wednesday as city officials said seven additional people died from hypothermia-related causes at private residences.
Those deaths are in addition to the 18 people found dead outdoors over the past few weeks as temperatures plunged well below freezing, according to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration. City medical examiners said at least 15 of the outdoor deaths are believed to be directly related to hypothermia, though some of the final determinations are pending.
A City Hall spokesperson said he could not provide details on exactly where and when the seven other people were discovered, or whether they were indoors when they died. It is not yet clear whether insufficient heating may have played a role in these deaths.
Administration officials faced scrutiny at an hourslong City Council hearing Tuesday on the city’s cold weather preparedness and response. Council Speaker Julie Menin said the 18 previously announced deaths were “not inevitable,” and along with other lawmakers sought to identify potential gaps in city safety nets that may have contributed to the fatalities.
Jason Graham, the city’s chief medical examiner, testified his office was investigating some cold-related deaths at private homes, but he did not say how many. He also said additional hypothermia-caused deaths could be confirmed as autopsies move forward.
Nearly 80,000 New Yorkers complained to 311 about heat and hot water outages in January. That was a record number for a single month, according to the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development, which enforces heat regulations for rental units.
Landlords in the city are required to provide heat from Oct. 1 through May 31, known as heat season. If the outside temperature falls below 55 degrees from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., the inside temperature must be at least 68 degrees. Overnight, the inside temperature must be at least 62 degrees, regardless of the outside temperature.
This story is based on preliminary information from city officials and may be updated.
