The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) has released shocking footage of the moment an electric bicycle's lithium-ion battery catches fire and explodes, burning down a store in Queens.
The CCTV video posted on X yesterday was taken from inside an e-bike shop packed with mopeds on Saturday night. This reveals how quickly a battery can ignite and develop into a major fire.
The result was a two-alarm fire at the South Richmond Hill store, in which nearly 20 e-bikes went up in flames. The store was closed at the time, and one firefighter suffered minor injuries, but no civilians were injured, according to the FDNY.
FDNY blames electric scooter battery for fire that killed three family members
The FDNY has released a dramatic video showing the moment an electric bicycle's lithium-ion battery catches fire and explodes, burning down a Queens store. (FDNY)
“A DVR (digital video recorder) shows smoke coming from the battery, followed within 20 seconds by a shower of sparks, flames, and explosions,” the FDNY wrote in a caption accompanying the video.
“Just two and a half minutes later, a wall of flames consumed the store…The tenants on the second floor heard three loud bangs and smelled smoke. They went downstairs to investigate and found smoke inside the store.” I saw him standing there.”
The FDNY has been warning New York City residents for years about the dangers posed by lithium-ion batteries in electric bikes, which have been blamed for a dramatic spike in fires.
New York City fire caused by e-bike battery, officials say
Several charred e-bikes and mopeds are seen outside a bike shop in Queens after a battery exploded and burned down the store. (FDNY)
In 2022, lithium-ion batteries caused more than 215 fires across the city, injuring 147 people and killing six, according to the FDNY.
The FDNY told Fox News Digital that last year's numbers have not yet been finalized, but FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanaugh said in November that 2023 has already seen 17 deaths from nearly 240 fires. said that this was caused by lithium-ion batteries.
“These are extremely dangerous devices if unregulated or used improperly,” Kavanaugh said at a public safety meeting in February. “When a fire breaks out, there's a huge amount of fire. In many cases, you can't get out of your room, apartment, or home right away.”
The FDNY has released a dramatic video showing the moment an electric bicycle's lithium-ion battery catches fire and explodes, burning down a Queens store. (FDNY)
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In its safety manual, the FDNY says to never use aftermarket or generic batteries or chargers, never plug batteries into power strips or overload electrical outlets, and never overcharge batteries or charge them overnight. We recommend that you do not leave it as is.
According to the manual, these rechargeable batteries can be found in cars, laptops, tablets, phones, general household equipment, as well as electric bikes and scooters.
New regulations went into effect in the city in September, requiring all battery-powered mobility devices such as electric bicycles and scooters to be equipped with certified batteries.
