On a Sunday evening, December 3, 2023, in the Bronx, New York City, a devastating fire triggered by a lithium-ion battery from an electric bicycle ravaged a 10th-floor apartment in a public housing complex.
The New York Fire Department confirmed the incident, which resulted in one fatality and injured nine other individuals.
The fire began at around 7 p.m. in the 14-story building located at 1440 Bronx River Avenue. Firefighters found a 39-year-old man unresponsive at the scene, who was transported to a hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries. Nine other residents sustained minor injuries.
Twenty units comprising 78 firefighters responded to the emergency, managing to control the blaze just after 8:30 p.m. An electric bike was discovered at the entrance of the apartment where the fire broke out, leading fire marshals to determine the cause as a lithium-ion battery.
The incident in the Bronx occurred only three weeks following a similar incident in Brooklyn, New York, where a lithium-ion battery fire claimed the lives of three family members.
New York City has experienced a surge in fires linked to the batteries that power electric bikes and scooters, with city officials attributing many of these incidents to off-market batteries and chargers.
The increasing frequency of such fires has prompted city officials to call for stronger federal regulations on the sale of off-market e-bike batteries and chargers. It’s important to note that lithium-ion batteries, while commonly used in various electronic devices, can pose significant fire risks if not handled or stored correctly.