NYC holds hearing about e-bike lithium-ion battery fire safety

NEW YORK - The New York City Council held an oversight hearing on Monday about e-bike safety, just over a week after a fire in Manhattan sparked by an e-bike battery left dozens injured and prompted a dramatic FDNY rescue.

The grassroots organization Concerned Citizens for Battery Swapping says there have been more than 60 New York City building fires connected to lithium-ion batteries so far in 2022. The FDNY puts the number at nearly 200 and says battery fires have also claimed six lives citywide this year.

"When it starts to go into what we call thermal runaway, we have a tremendous amount of heat that's generated, it's not safely able to be dissipated," FDNY Assistant Chief Tom Currao told FOX 5 NY. "It causes a chain reaction where we literally have a very fast fire and with explosive force."

E-bikes have become popular in recent years because they’re affordable, easy to use and don’t take up too much space. However, the batteries used to charge them can easily ignite if they overheat or are not charged properly.

"You can almost describe them as explosive fires — they come without warning," FDNY Chief Fire Marshal Dan Flynn said. "When they do go on fire, it ignites all of the combustibles in the area around them."

Many buildings have prohibited e-bikes. Some New Yorkers are calling for a swap to LFP battery packs, which they say are proven to be more sustainable, safer to be stored inside and less likely to catch fire.

Elected officials plan to introduce legislation that would require the fire department to create educational campaigns about fire risks posed by e-bikes.