Lithium ion batteries used to power electric bicycles and scooters have already sparked 22 fires that caused 36 injuries and two deaths in New York City this year, four times the number of fires linked to the batteries by this time last year, officials said.
On Friday, Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said Mayor Eric Adams’ administration is coming at this problem from every single angle, including working with the City Council and the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission on additional regulations for the batteries and educating the public on their proper use and storage.
These are incredibly dangerous devices, and we must make sure that members of the community are handling them properly and using them safely, Kavanagh said at a briefing on public safety.
