Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf is a New York Plaintiff's personal injury law firm specializing in automobile accidents, construction accidents, medical malpractice, products liability, police misconduct and all types of New York personal injury litigation.

Articles Tagged with lithium battery explosion NYC

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Lithium ion battery can be dangerousThe recent announcement by the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) regarding the forthcoming federal ban on unregulated lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes and e-scooters marks a significant milestone in enhancing public safety. As legal professionals specializing in lithium battery-related accidents, we recognize the profound implications this legislation holds for consumer protection and the reduction of fire-related incidents.

Understanding the Legislation

The Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act, integrated into the federal budget, mandates the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish national safety standards for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries utilized in micro-mobility devices. This initiative, championed by Senator Chuck Schumer and New York’s congressional delegation, aims to address the surge in fires attributed to substandard batteries.

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Fazil Khan victim of a lithium battery explosionIn an urgent response to the rising threat posed by lithium-ion battery fires, New York City Council has enacted two new e-bike safety regulations. This legislative action, motivated by a tragic fire in Harlem sparked by a lithium-ion battery, underscores the city’s commitment to addressing the dangers associated with these batteries. The fire accident, which claimed the life of 27-year-old Fazil Khan, a young journalist,  and critically injured four others, has catalyzed a city-wide discourse on the safety of e-mobility devices.

The first rule mandates that businesses selling e-bikes and e-scooters must display safety information regarding the storage of lithium-ion batteries both in-store and online. This is a critical measure aimed at educating the public on proper battery handling to mitigate fire risks. The second regulation intensifies the crackdown on the sale of non-UL-certified batteries by enhancing penalties for illegal sales and bolstering city enforcement. These steps, while significant, are part of a broader call for comprehensive federal legislation to ensure the sale of only certified batteries across the United States.

Parallel to these legislative efforts, New York City is pioneering a solution to one of the most pressing issues related to e-bike safety: battery charging. The city has launched a pilot program to establish public e-bike charging hubs in Manhattan and Brooklyn, offering a safer alternative to charging batteries indoors. The initiative kicked off with the unveiling of the first hub at Cooper Square in the East Village.

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E-bike now legal in NYCThe New York City Council is currently considering a package of bills aimed at addressing the fire safety concerns surrounding e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries.

The primary concern driving this legislation is the risk of fires caused by uncertified e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries. Just this kast week-end in Brooklyn, a firefighter was injured when a warehouse fire, likely sparked by an e-bike, erupted. According to City Council members, this year alone has seen 208 fires ignited by lithium-ion batteries, resulting in 14 tragic deaths and 116 injuries. As lithium battery accident lawyers we believe that these alarming statistics underscore the pressing need for action.

The proposed bill would mandate that delivery platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats provide their workers with safe and certified e-bikes. This move is seen as a crucial step in mitigating the risk associated with faulty e-bikes and batteries. While the intention behind the bill is clear – protecting the safety of delivery workers and the public – it has sparked a heated debate.

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ambulance at accident sceneIn the early hours of Tuesday morning, tragedy struck a bustling street near Chinatown when a fire erupted at an e-bike service store. Four lives were lost, while two others remain in critical condition. The cause of the fire? Lithium-ion batteries, which have become a growing concern in New York City due to their link to several fatal blazes.

At around midnight, a three-alarm fire broke out at the e-bike repair shop on Madison Street, engulfing the business and spreading through the building. Despite the valiant efforts of approximately 140 firefighters and emergency personnel, the blaze claimed the lives of four individuals and left two others fighting for their lives. The fire commissioner, Laura Kavanagh, confirmed that the fire was accidental and caused by a lithium-ion battery.

Lithium-ion batteries have become a common power source for various devices, including e-bikes, phones, laptops, and power tools. However, their flammability has become a growing concern as the usage of electric vehicles, especially e-bikes and scooters, has surged in New York City. Commissioner Kavanagh revealed that these batteries have been responsible for 108 fires and 13 deaths so far this year alone. In 2022, approximately 200 fires were linked to lithium-ion batteries.

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E-bike explosion kills 2 in Queens NYCAn e-bike powered by a defective lithium-ion battery caused a fatal fire in Astoria, Queens, New York City, killing two children yesterday afternoon. This tragedy has raised concerns about the safety of e-bikes and the need for stricter regulations to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. According to reports, the e-bike was being charged in the vestibule of the home when it caught fire and caused an explosion. The victims did not have enough time to escape the intense fire that quickly traveled up the stairs to their second-floor apartment.

This incident highlights the ongoing problem of e-bike-related fires in the city. So far, there have been 59 e-bike-related fires in New York City this year, resulting in five fire-related deaths. The cause of these fires has been linked to the use of defective e-bikes lithium-ion batteries.

New action plan and and legislation

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Lithium ion battery can be dangerousOur personal injury law firm is concerned about the recent news regarding lithium-ion batteries causing deadly fires in New York City. According to reports, a 64-year-old man died in a Bronx apartment fire caused by a defective lithium-ion battery over the weekend, and the FDNY has reported 33 fires caused by these batteries this year, resulting in three deaths and 42 injuries.

To address this issue, Mayor Eric Adams signed  five bills into law aimed at preventing fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in New York City (see our previous blog about these bills related to e-bike battery safety). 

While the bills only address lithium battery safety in New York City, there is a need for federal legislation to ensure that batteries are safely manufactured and used. Currently, compliance with safety standards is voluntary, and the wide availability of uncertified or after-market tampered batteries is contributing to the problem. Additionally, a change in federal law in 2016 exempts imports below $800 from inspection and tariffs, which has made it easier for uncertified or unsafe batteries to enter the market.

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Lithium ion battery can be dangerousDefective lithium-Ion e-bike batteries have been the cause of 216 fires in NYC last year. 147 people suffered personal injury and 6 of them died in these fires. This year so far more than 20 lithium-ion battery fires have caused serious injury and death. Two weeks ago, in Brooklyn, a woman died from her injuries after being rescued from a fire in her building that was caused by batteries exploding in an another apartment that a tenant had transformed into an illegal lithium battery repair shop.

Yesterday the New York City Council voted on a legislative package dedicated to strengthen safety and prevent fires related to e-bike batteries:

  • Introduction 663-A restricts the sale, lease or rental of e-bike, e-scooter or any other mobility device powered by lithium batteries as well as storage batteries that do not meet recognized safety standards.  This means that these devices and their storage batteries will have to be tested by an accredited laboratory and  meet the applicable Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standards. the testing laboratory or name will have to be displayed on the product itself or on the packaging or documentation.
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Lithium ion battery can be dangerousA 67 year old woman was critically injured in a fire sparked by a defective lithium-ion battery in Brooklyn, NYC yesterday early morning.

The victim was residing in a building located on Goodwin Place  in Bushwick and was probably asleep when the fire erupted around 1:40 am on Tuesday morning.  The fire started in an apartment that one of the tenants had transformed into a lithium battery repair shop. 50 lithium batteries were found there by the firefighters. It is not clear how many batteries exploded but the FDNY said that the fire sparked so fast and was so intense that the fire alarms and the sprinkler system which were working, were of no help.   When firefighters arrived, all 3 floors of the building were ravaged by the blaze. They were still able to find the victim but she was already in bad condition. Another victim suffered minor injuries. The tenant who was running the off-the-book repair shop was not home at the time of the explosion but had left several batteries to charge overnight.

The FDNY told the NY daily News that since the beginning of this year, they have been responding to an average of 3 fires caused by lithium batteries every week.

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FDNY rescuing children in fire caused by Ion lithium battery18 children were injured after a fire erupted in an unlicensed daycare located in Queens. The fire was caused by a defective lithium-ion battery that exploded in the basement.

Firefighters were called yesterday afternoon around 2pm for a fire in a basement located at 147-07 72 Drive in Queens, NYC. When they arrived on location, the basement was filled with heavy fire and smoke. They removed 18 children from the building, most of them on the first floor and one of them in the basement. They found out that an illegal daycare was operating on the first floor.  Most children suffered minor injuries and did not require to be hospitalized. One of them was critically injured and still remains in the hospital. Two adults also suffered injury in the fire.

A neighbor took care of the children as parents were alerted and asked to come pick up their young kids. The fire was controlled in 45 minutes.

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