Lithium-ion batteries have caused 300+ fires in NYC

[samhexum]

It seems like I read about a fire almost daily, and a death monthly.  My building just issued a notice with warnings about the potential dangers of keeping bikes with them on the premises.

https://www.amny.com/news/queens-delivery-worker-victim-e-bike-battery-fire-homeless/

‘He lost everything’: Queens delivery worker recounts harrowing moment e-bike battery burned his flesh, left him homeless

Gabriel Dolores, a Mexican native and delivery worker residing in Corona, Queens, recently purchased a second-hand lithium-ion battery through Amazon in order to continue his job with Relay. It didn’t take long before disaster struck, and his life was forever altered.

 

According to FDNY sources, 60 firefighters and EMS personnel rushed to Dolores’ 96th Street residence in Corona, Queens at 6:34 a.m. While the fire was placed under control in under 30 minutes, he was whisked to Harlem Hospital with second degree burns.

“He is very sad because he lost everything. He lost his phone and he lost whatever he had in his room. His clothing, all of the important papers. He lost everything. Basically, right now he doesn’t even have underwear. It’s an unfortunate situation for him but he said he is grateful he is alive,” Jose Rodrigo Nevares Castilla said, a member of Dario De Los Delivery Boys, who helped provide translated details the dire situation.

E-bike fires have been tearing through New York City like a knife through hot butter, leaving destruction, charred apartments, and broken hearts in their wake.

Resulting from relatively small Lithium-ion batteries, these power sources have a big impact on the lives of e-bike owners and their neighbors when these devices explode into fireballs. In a conversation with amNewYork Metro, Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn said that the batteries can explode while both on and off charge. He also recommended owners only use batteries that are paired with its designated bike. 

Dolores’ injuries came just days before Mayor Eric Adams signed a new package of legislation into law aiming to combat the sale and distribution of second-hand lithium-ion batteries across the city.

Left in severe pain and without medical insurance, a home or spare clothing, Dolores is currently staying at the Airway Inn near LaGuardia airport. Although the battery was not the same brand as his E-bike, he believed he did his research and purchased a certified product.

Dolores is also critical of the way in which Amazon delivered the product and is worried it may have been banged around and even cracked during the delivery process. 

“They don’t care about their packages,” Nevares Castilla said.

With almost nothing left to his name, Dolores is accepting donations through Zelle to help him get back on his feet. For more information, contact 347-242-9365.

https://qns.com/2023/03/fdny-rescues-woman-and-her-dogs-from-jamaica-house-fire-believed-to-be-sparked-by-exploding-e-bike-battery/

FDNY rescues woman and her dogs from Jamaica house fire believed to be sparked by exploding e-bike battery

 

Firefighters rescued a woman and several of her dogs from a house fire in Jamaica Monday afternoon and, once again, an exploding lithium-ion battery on an e-bike is suspected of sparking the blaze, according to FDNY.

The fire broke out in the cellar of the two-story home at 111-12 153 Rd. at around 3:38 p.m. on March 20 and rapidly spread throughout the two-story residence just east of Sutphin Boulevard.

EMS rushed the woman to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for treatment and several dogs were rescued during the blaze and carried away by the woman’s neighbors.

The house fire broke out just hours after Mayor Eric Adams signed five pieces of legislation into law that will help reduce fires caused by lithium-ion batteries. The mayor’s plan focuses on four key areas:

 

• Promoting and incentivizing safe battery use
• Increasing education and outreach to electric micro-mobility users
• Advocating for additional federal regulation of these devices
• Expanding enforcement against high-risk situations

Mayor Adams also signed five bills into law to further regulate lithium-ion batteries sold in New York City and strengthen fire safety related to battery fires.

Lithium-ion battery-linked fires doubled between 2021 and 2022 — rising from 104 to 216 fires in one year — with injuries also doubling, and six people died last year. They’ve already caused two deaths and 40 injuries in the first two months of this year, according to the mayor’s office.

“Fires caused by e-bikes and the lithium-ion batteries they rely on have increased dramatically in our city, with deadly consequences for citizens and first responders,” FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said. “It is a problem we are tackling aggressively with our partners in the city, state and federal government. We are grateful to the mayor for signing these bills into law and to the City Council for passing legislation that supports the FDNY in addressing this critical safety matter.”

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by samhexum
just for the hell of it

[Luv2play]

Reminds me of exploding Pintos years ago. 

[Lookin]

12 hours ago, samhexum said:

Gabriel Dolores, a Mexican native and delivery worker residing in Corona, Queens, recently purchased a second-hand lithium-ion battery through Amazon in order to continue his job with Relay.

That's a very sad story.

According to this article, most lithium-ion batteries are made in China.  I wonder what kind of oversight there is to ensure these potentially dangerous products are safe and reliable over time, rather than merely cheap at the point of sale.

I'm also not sure Amazon focuses on quality as much as they focus on low cost.  And that's assuming the product even comes through one of their warehouses.  I recall reading that Amazon often acts as a 'marketplace' for products that ship directly from other resellers who may be individuals rather than companies.  This would be even more likely for a second-hand product.

Bottom-line, I'm not sure there's anybody who can vouch for the safety of some of the products showing up on our doorsteps.  If there isn't a trusted brand name on the product and a company reputation at stake, it could be a crapshoot.

If I had to suggest a fix, it would be to hold the US distributor (in this case, Amazon) liable for damages caused by products they sell.  Once they have to pay out a few million-dollar judgments, I expect their quality control will improve.  And, yes, their prices will go up, or their profits will go down.

[BuffaloKyle]

There was an incident just the other day by me. There was a set of 18 tablets charging at a school that started a fire:

https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/fire-lockport-school-classes-canceled-monday/71-393ed01d-84f8-42ff-b5f3-5e08152470cb

[BSR]

Hoverboards have been banned on the NYC subway since 2016 because of fire hazard.  Forget riding one, you can't even carry one on board.

[samhexum]

On 3/21/2023 at 1:03 AM, samhexum said:

It seems like I read about a fire almost daily, and a death monthly. 

 

‘A terrible tragedy’: 7-year-old boy and his teen sister killed in Astoria house fire caused by exploding lithium-ion battery: FDNY

Edited April 10, 2023 by samhexum

[samhexum]

On 3/21/2023 at 1:03 AM, samhexum said:

It seems like I read about a fire almost daily, and a death monthly. 

2 critically injured in NYC fire have died as FDNY confirms blaze sparked by lithium battery

[samhexum]

Am 81 year old woman and her son & grandson died Saturday night in another fire started by one of these batteries.  That's 17 deaths this year in NYC.  There really needs to be more regulation & harsher penalties for the people who make & sell substandard batteries.

[marylander1940]

On 3/21/2023 at 10:38 PM, BSR said:

Hoverboards have been banned on the NYC subway since 2016 because of fire hazard.  Forget riding one, you can't even carry one on board.

Chiropractors are making a lot of money because of folks falling from hoverboards and scooters even though now they're not as common as before. I know of several people who got hit by scooters specially in the summer months. 

we can't carry lithium batteries in planes either. 

Edited November 15, 2023 by marylander1940

[+ WilliamM]

Only in New York City?

[samhexum]

1 minute ago, WilliamM said:

Only in New York City?

No, but that's where I live, so those are the stories I see.