The New York City Council passed a package of legislation to crack down on sellers of motorcycles, skateboards and bicycles that do not comply with lithium-ion battery regulations.
Following investigations, the New York Fire Department (FDNY) confirmed that the fire was caused by a lithium-ion battery.
The 3 measures that would be approved for the regulation of lithium batteries
- Sellers of motorcycles, skateboards, and electric bicycles must publish guides on the use and storage of these devices.
- Instructions should be in storefronts and online.
- The fire and consumer and worker protection departments are authorized to inspect any business, especially those that are under suspicion, in addition to closing them if they do not comply with safety measures.
According to data managed by the FDNY, in 2023 there were more than 250 fires and 18 deaths due to lithium batteries.
Following City Council approval, Mayor Eric Adams is now expected to sign the legislation and the measures will take effect 180 days later.
This warehouse, located in Queens, was closed for allegedly committing more than 30 violations of the law, including manufacturing and selling uncertified batteries.
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According to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), lithium batteries have caused more than 240 fires in 2023. In addition, the device is misused in multiple ways.
Credit: Univision
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Fires caused by electric bicycle batteries have also left around 130 injured and 17 dead. The FDNY has shared videos on repeated occasions to show how voracious and fast these types of accidents can occur.
Credit: MCP
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Despite prevention campaigns and the control of uncertified lithium batteries, fires continue to occur. “We’ve made laws, federal appeals, and we’re on the streets, but the companies that sell them can also save lives,” said FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh.
Credit: MCP
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One of the most recent incidents occurred on December 6, at a multi-family home in Brooklyn. Two people were injured, one of them seriously.
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On Monday, November 13, around 4:30 am, a three-story building was engulfed in flames. Three members of the same family, including an 81-year-old woman, died in the fire. The FDNY later confirmed that the accident was caused by a lithium battery.
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One of the most severe fires occurred in June, when a lithium battery explosion destroyed an electric bicycle shop in Manhattan, which also had fines. That incident left four dead and two seriously injured.
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In early April, more than 100 firefighters responded to a home in Queens to fight a fire sparked by an exploding lithium battery. A father and his five children were on the second floor of the house, in the middle of the fire, and unfortunately two of the minors died.
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In March, another of the most terrible fires of 2023 occurred, after a lithium battery caused a huge fire that burned down a supermarket and a laundromat in the Bronx. Fortunately, there were no deaths, but seven people were injured, including five firefighters.
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2:00 in the afternoon on January 25 was a terrifying moment. A clandestine daycare, located in the basement of a house in Queens, ended up on fire due to a lithium battery. More than 50 firefighters responded to help nearly two dozen children, and at least 18 were injured.
2024-02-29 02:17:32
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