An electric bike shop in Queens caught fire early Thursday morning. One firefighter was injured in the blaze, which was likely caused by a faulty lithium-ion battery, New York Fire Department officials said.
According to authorities, the fire started around 2:30 a.m. at Kings Electric Scooters on Jamaica Street.
Fire officials said one firefighter suffered minor injuries while battling the blaze and was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for treatment.
Hazardous materials crews were called to the scene after lithium-ion batteries were found, about a month after Gov. Kathy Hawkle passed a series of bills cracking down on batteries earlier this year.
Fortunately, the fire was contained within an hour, by around 3:20 a.m., according to the FDNY.
“The fire was quickly contained,” FDNY Deputy Chief George Healy said at the scene. According to 1010 WINS“A search was conducted. We removed several occupants from the residence on the second floor.”
The official cause is currently under investigation, the ministry said.
“But because it involved an e-bike, this will probably be another lithium-ion battery fire,” Healy said.
Video from the scene It shows a pile of smoldering electric bikes on the sidewalk outside the store.
An eviction order was also issued for the basement on Thursday morning due to illegal occupation and alterations, according to Department of Buildings records.
Announcing the crackdown last month, Governor Hawke said batteries have been linked to nearly 270 fires across New York City last year alone, killing 18 people.
Earlier this year, a fire linked to lithium-ion batteries in Harlem killed Indian journalist Fazil Khan and forced other residents to evacuate by hanging from windows.
The new law requires electric bikes, mopeds and other micro-mobility devices to carry bright red tags that clearly warn drivers to unplug them when they’re fully charged. It also requires them to provide a list of safety precautions for emergency responders and sellers.
From now on, all mopeds sold must be registered by the dealer, a measure that could help crack down on robbers who ride scooters to rob unaware pedestrians.
