NYC officials are blaming an e-bike battery for the fatal fire incident that killed and injured some residents. They shared their conclusion on Monday, Dec. 4; a day after the incident.
On Sunday, Dec. 3, authorities said that a fire started at around 7:00 p.m. in a 10th-floor apartment in a public housing complex located in the Bronx.
The New York City Fire Department said that fire marshals also believe that the fire incident was caused by an e-bike's battery; specifically a lithium-ion battery cell.
NYC Officials Blame E-Bike Battery for Fatal Fire Incident
According to Fox News' latest report, the latest fire incident in New York City killed one individual. Responders were able to take the victim to the nearest hospital.
Unfortunately, the person's injuries were too severe, leading to his eventual death. Meanwhile, six more residents were injured because of the fire. Two of them had serious, life-threatening injuries.
Meanwhile, the remaining four victims only suffered from minor injuries. ABC News reported that the fire incident in the Bronx happened around three weeks after another fire killed three family members in Brooklyn.
For the past few years, NYC officials said that they had seen hundreds of fire incidents that were caused by e-bike batteries, as well as cells powering scooters.
They are blaming off-market chargers and batteries for the fires. Because of this, they have lobbied the federal government so stricter e-bike and battery sales regulations would be created.
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NYC Landlords Now Banning E-Bikes
As fire incidents linked to e-bikes continue to happen in New York City, some landlords are taking the issue into their own hands by restricting renters from bringing their electric bikes inside apartments and other buildings.
As of writing, NYC has Local Law 39, which restricts the sale, rental, or lease of e-bikes and batteries that can't meet the UL 2849 and the UL 2271 safety standards.
Both of these certifications state that batteries for e-bikes should be tested for their risk of electric shock when charging, the safety of the bike's electrical system, as well as the safety of storing batteries.
However, NYC landlords claim that this regulation isn't enough to prevent e-bike-linked fire incidents. Because of this, some of them, including the K&R Realty Management, are starting to restrict e-bikes inside residences.
They are trying to make this requirement a new norm for their tenants.
