The FDNY is putting out a warning to all New Yorkers about the danger of lithium-ion batteries and the products that use them. FDNY commissioner Laura Kavanaugh says e-bike batteries catching fire have become all too common in New York City – causing over 250 fires in 2023, and taking 18 lives in those fires.
The fire department is doing its part to fight back, including lobbying state lawmakers in Albany and planning to put out new bills to the City Council to regulate the lithium-ion battery market.
We have seen our fire marshals and our Bureau of Fire Prevention do enforcement in every single bike shop in New York City. We have seen our firefighters and our fire safety education unit do thousands of inspections and educational opportunities throughout the five boroughs,” said Kavanaugh. “What we’ve continued to see, however, is that these fires occur in residential apartments.”
The commissioner says that a majority of the time, these lithium-ion fires can cause even more severe damage than cases of arson. Kavanaugh and other officials are calling on Congress to ban uncertified lithium-ion batteries from entering the United States.
