2 siblings dead in "explosion of fire" blamed on an e-bike battery in New York City
A boy and his teenage sister died in a New York City fire sparked by an e-bike battery on Monday, officials said.
There have already been 59 fires in New York City this year started by lithium-ion batteries, a Fire Department of New York spokesman said. Last year there were 220 over the course of the entire year.
Tuesday's blaze started on the first floor of a building in the Queens borough, FDNY Chief of Department John Hodgens said. An e-bike was charging in the vestibule when flames shot up the stairs to a second floor apartment.
A dad and his five kids were inside, officials said. Four of them jumped to safety, but a 7-year-old boy and a 19-year-old girl didn't make it out.
"We were here in approximately three minutes, so we got here very quickly. And if this was not an e-bike fire, most likely we would have been able to put this fire out without incident," Hodgens said. "But the way these fires occur, it's like an explosion of fire. The occupants have very little chance of escaping."
In January, a New York City fire that killed one and injured 10 was sparked by lithium-ion battery.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission in December said fires from lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes have reached a crisis level. Office of Compliance and Field Operations Director Robert Kaye sent a letter to more than 2,000 e-bike manufacturers and importers urging them to ensure the e-bikes have been designed, manufactured and certified for compliance with safety standards.
"We want people to use them, but we want people to use them safely," FDNY Chief Fire Marshal Dan Flynn said. "We want people to purchase chargers that are compatible with the devices that they purchase. Do not buy the cheapest device."
The National Fire Protection Association recommends never charging a lithium-ion battery overnight or leaving a battery on the charger after it's fully charged. Batteries should be kept at room temperature, should be stored away from other flammable materials, and should not be charged under a pillow, on a bed, or on a couch.
