On Mon., Feb. 23, shortly after midnight, police responded to a call of a fire at 132 E. 16th St. Upon arrival, they were informed by firefighters there that, after extinguishing an apartment blaze at the location, they discovered a 59-year-old man unconscious and unresponsive. He was immediately removed to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced DOA.
The victim was ID’d as Ed Albers, 59. Artnet News said Albers was a Dutch-born painter. Also killed in the blaze was his beloved German shepherd, Captain. His artwork was described as “mostly abstract paintings with biomorphic-looking forms and experiments with light and illumination.”
Fire officials said an extension cord caused the fire in the apartment, located near Union Square.