NYC bike shop burns down – and lithium-ion batteries are likely responsible for the fire: FDNY

An e-bike shop in Queens went up in flames early Thursday – and problematic lithium-ion batteries are likely to blame for the blaze that injured a firefighter, New York Fire Department officials said.

Officials said the fire broke out at Kings Electric Scooters on Jamaica Avenue around 2:30 a.m.

A firefighter who responded to the fire was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries, the department said.

Due to the presence of lithium-ion batteries, hazardous materials units were called to the scene of the accident – ​​about a month after Governor Kathy Hochul passed a package of legislation to combat these batteries earlier this year.

Fortunately, the fire was brought under control within less than an hour, at around 3:20 a.m., the fire department said.

“The fire was brought under control pretty quickly,” New York City Fire Department Deputy Chief George Healy said at the scene, according to 1010 WINS. “We conducted searches. We got some residents out of the house on the second floor.”

The official cause is still being investigated, according to the department.

“But there were e-bikes involved, so it’s probably another lithium-ion battery fire,” Healy said.

A video from the crime scene shows a pile of smoking e-bikes on the sidewalk in front of the store.

The building authority’s documents show that an eviction order was also issued for the basement on Thursday morning due to unauthorized occupancy and change of use.

The batteries have been linked to nearly 270 fires that killed 18 people across New York City last year alone, Hochul said when she announced the crackdown last month.

Earlier this year, a fire caused by a lithium-ion battery in Harlem killed Indian journalist Fazil Khan, and other residents were forced to dangle out of a window to escape.

The new laws require e-bikes, mopeds and other micromobility devices to display a bright red sign explicitly stating that they should be unplugged after they are fully charged. The new law also requires a list of safety measures for emergency workers and vendors.

Mopeds must now be registered by dealers after they are sold. This is intended to help crack down on scooter thieves who, according to police, rob unsuspecting pedestrians.