A fire at a Manhattan e-bike repair shop left four people dead and two in the hospital, according to the New York Fire Department.
The blaze, which began at 12:15 a.m. Tuesday was ruled “accidental” and was caused by a “lithium-ion fire battery,” according to the FDNY. The fire, which happened not far from Chinatown, comes as New York City has seen an increase in fires due to lithium-ion batteries, which are used in e-bikes and scooters.
“It is very clear that this was caused by lithium-ion batteries and e-bikes,” FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said at a press conference at the shop, referencing a pile of burned-out e-bikes behind her. “There was a very large number of both batteries and e-bikes. This location is known to the fire department. We have written violations at this location before, and we have conducted enforcement at this location before.”
Per #FDNY Fire Marshals, this morning’s 3-alarm fire at 80 Madison Street in Manhattan, which killed four people, was accidental. Caused by a lithium-ion battery on the first floor. pic.twitter.com/QG5t3cBexe
— FDNY (@FDNY) June 20, 2023
The fire started on the ground floor of the HQ E-Bike (Sales & Service) shop before it spread to the apartments housed above, leading to the four deaths. At least 25 people were displaced because of the fire, according to the Red Cross, which was providing shelter for those impacted.
Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn said that the department had recently conducted “surveillance” at the shop to see if the business was following regulations. It had previously been fined for violating fire code regulations.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP
On Tuesday morning, the FDNY posted a warning to Twitter, telling New Yorkers to be careful with lithium-ion batteries.
“The FDNY is encouraging New Yorkers w/ lithium-ion powered mobility devices to follow practices to prevent fires and keep you safe. Do not leave batteries charging unattended or overnight when you’re sleeping. Do not use power or extension cords to charge,” the department said.
The FDNY is encouraging New Yorkers w/ lithium-ion powered mobility devices to follow practices to prevent fires and keep you safe. Do not leave batteries charging unattended or overnight when you’re sleeping. Do not use power or extension cords to charge. https://t.co/FJM6TLqOnk pic.twitter.com/EQqjvxItds
— FDNY (@FDNY) June 20, 2023
Kavanagh said that having a situation with a shared space for an e-bike store and apartments was dangerous because of the “volume of fire created by these lithium-ion batteries.” She said fires caused by the batteries are more explosive. Fire officials have said lithium-ion batteries have contributed to most fire-related deaths this year.
Related: Electric Cars Could Lead To More Parking Garage Collapses Like In NYC, Experts Warn