As reported, one man died as a result of a residential fire caused by a lithium-ion battery in the Allerton section of the Bronx on Saturday afternoon, March 18. It follows a 5-alarm, non-fatal fire caused by a lithium-ion battery explosion in a Fordham Heights supermarket on Sunday, March 5, as reported, which injured a total of seven people, two of whom incurred serious injuries. New federal laws were introduced in its wake, as reported.

 

Last year, as reported, a lithium-ion battery was found to be the cause of a fire at 2230 Grand Concourse in Fordham Heights on Jan. 9, 2022, the same day as the Twin Parks North West fire broke out, also in Fordham Heights, tragically killing 17 people. Meanwhile, a separate Morris Heights, 5-alarm supermarket fire which broke out at 1750 University Avenue last month on Feb. 9 was also caused by a lithium-ion battery.

 

FDNY chief of department, John Hodgens, previously highlighted how lithium-ion batteries are very powerful and are also particularly resistant to water. He said, as such, they require “a tremendous amount of water directly onto the battery” to extinguish fires ignited by them. He added that because the batteries generate such large fires and very quickly, firefighters have to extinguish the fires around the area where the batteries are located before they can begin to extinguish/neutralize the battery fires themselves.

 

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, RELiON InSight Series® received five reports of batteries overheating, though no injuries were reported. Officials said the recall involves certain lots of the RELiON InSight Series® 48V lithium-ion batteries with model number 48V030-GC2, and serial numbers which range from RB48300020210314057 to RB48300020210314729, RB48300020210330001 to RB48300020210330715, and RB48300020210507012 to RB48300020221016550.

 

The serial numbers of the recalled products can be found on the label located on the side of the batteries, according to the commission. The intended use for such batteries includes, but is not limited to, golf carts, low-speed vehicles, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and outdoor utility terrain vehicles (UTVs).

On the same day as the RELiON InSight recall, news site, Binghamton.com, reported that Broome County-based, lithium-ion battery manufacturer, iM3NY, is looking for a federal loan to significantly upscale its production capacity in Endicott, NY. “The gigafactory is currently creating enough batteries to produce 1.8 gigawatts of energy storage per year and has submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Energy for a $700 million loan toward building a new facility 12 times larger than its current space,” the article read.

 

The loan is reportedly being championed by U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer who, according to the report, also helped secure $34 million from the federal government to support the lithium-ion battery ecosystem. According to reporting by Binghamton.com, the NY-based operation began producing batteries last year inside a former IBM facility.

As above, on March 20, Adams announced the “Charge Safe, Ride Safe: New York City’s Electric Micro-mobility Action Plan” to protect New Yorkers from fires caused by lithium-ion batteries and to promote safe electric micro-mobility usage. City officials said the plan focuses on four key areas: promoting and incentivizing safe battery use, increasing education and outreach to electric micro-mobility users, advocating for additional federal regulation of these devices, and expanding enforcement against high-risk situations. Adams also signed five bills into law to further regulate lithium-ion batteries sold in New York City and to strengthen fire safety regulation.

 

“Today, we are supercharging safety for all of our e-bikes and e-scooter users,” the mayor said. “These are convenient transportation options for New Yorkers, but faulty and illegal devices are making their way into our homes and streets, causing fires and putting lives at risk. Through promoting safe devices, expanding education, increasing enforcement on high-risk situations, and pursuing additional regulation, I’m proud that New York City is leading that charge.”

 

Despite some problems with the use of e-bikes and scooters, as reported, the mayor said they were here to stay, and with the new plan and five new pieces of legislation, his administration would ensure they are safe for all New Yorkers to use.

City officials acknowledged that e-bikes and e-scooters are an affordable and convenient alternative to cars and are essential for delivery workers and other New Yorkers who rely on this mode of transportation for their livelihoods. However, they said these new transportation options have also brought serious challenges regarding fire risks.

 

The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) commissioner, Ydanis Rodriguez, said legal electric micro-mobility was a critical part of a safe, equitable, and sustainable transportation landscape. “These devices can make moving around the city easier for New Yorkers and are critical tools used by thousands of delivery workers to support our economy,” he said. “Through this plan, DOT is working closely with its sister agencies to develop the street infrastructure, safety education campaigns, and public charging options to support their growth and safe use.”

 

Government officials said fires caused by batteries that power such micro-mobility devices are a significant problem in New York City, growing from 44 in 2020 to 220 in 2022, as reported. Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said, in part, “Fires caused by e-bikes and the lithium-ion batteries they rely on have increased dramatically in our city, with deadly consequences for citizens and first responders.”

 

Officials said such fires are particularly severe and difficult to extinguish, spreading quickly and producing noxious fumes. From 2021 to 2022, as reported, City officials said these fires resulted in 10 deaths and 226 injuries. They added that in the first two months of 2023 alone, they resulted in two deaths and 40 injuries.

The new plan’s four pillars to achieving the administration’s goals for safer micro-mobility and a safer city are further detailed below.

 

Supporting New Yorkers’ Transition to Safe and Legal E-Micromobility Use

The City will support New Yorkers’ transition to safe and legal e-micromobility use by:

• working with New York State to design and implement a program that incentivizes the purchase of safe and legal electric micromobility devices;
• continuing to work on nation-leading deliverista hubs to provide delivery workers with safe places to rest and charge their devices throughout the city;
• piloting safe, outdoor e-micromobility storage and charging solutions at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) properties in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, and applying for federal grant funding to support this work; and
• identifying, testing, and evaluating the most promising public-facing battery-charging solutions through the 2023 DOT Studio Challenge. This initiative will invite startup companies specializing in e-micromobility charging technology to deploy their products at locations supporting food delivery workers. The city will also test and evaluate fire safety and prevention equipment for homes and commercial settings.

 

Increasing Education and Outreach About Safe Device Usage

The City will expand education and outreach efforts around safe e-micromobility usage, storage, and charging practices by:

• expanding engagement to immigrant and worker communities, focusing on the communities most affected by these fires;
• working to provide lithium-ion battery and e-micromobility safety training through New York City Emergency Management’s (NYCEM) Ready NY platforms, as well as directly to NYCEM’s Community Emergency Response Teams to reach everyday New Yorkers, in addition to certified emergency responders; and
• launching a series, in partnership with Los Deliveristas Unidos, to train communities on fire safety best practices regarding lithium-ion batteries and e-micromobility.

 

Bolstering Regulation and Enforcement Against Illegal Device Usage

The City will continue to advocate for additional regulation for these devices and bolster enforcement against illegal device usage by:

• creating a fire marshal task force focused on identifying violators of the fire code. The task force will use data to identify potential violators and high-risk situations or “hot spots,” which will be targeted for both outreach and inspection for compliance with existing fire codes;
• continuing to advocate to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and other federal partners to ensure that devices on New York City’s shelves — both virtual and brick-and-mortar — meet applicable safety standards; and
• seeking partnerships with local, state, and federal partners to further research the health impacts on first responders handling lithium-ion batteries, which can be extremely toxic when they burn.

 

Promoting the Growth of Safe E-micro-mobility and Cycling

Officials said New York City is a leader in sustainable transportation, and electric micro-mobility is a key tool to help New Yorkers get around efficiently, safely, affordably, and sustainably. In addition to work to prevent battery fires, officials said the city administration will also work to make it easier and safer to use electric micro-mobility by:

• launching a pilot program to allow e-bikes and other legal electric micro-mobility devices on park drives and greenways this summer; and
• updating and piloting different street designs to accommodate the growth of e-micro-mobility devices on the roads.

 

To boost these efforts, officials said DOT recently won a Federal Highway Administration “Safe Streets and Roads for All” grant that will be used to further develop and test a new generation of street designs and policies.

 

In addition, Adams signed the following five bills into law strengthening the city’s efforts to improve micro-mobility safety:

• Intro. 656 — sponsored by New York City Councilmember Gale Brewer — will require the FDNY, in consultation with the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), to develop an informational campaign educating the public on fire risks posed by powered mobility devices and how to mitigate those risks.
• Intro. 663 — sponsored by New York City Councilmember Oswald Feliz — will prohibit the sale, lease, or rental of powered mobility devices, such as e-bikes and electric scooters, and storage batteries for these devices, that fail to meet recognized safety standards.
• Intro. 722 — sponsored by New York City Councilmember Robert Holden — will require the FDNY to submit five reports relating to fire risks and powered mobility devices, such as e-bikes and electric scooters. Reports will include data on fires during the previous year caused by these devices and recommendations for changes to changes to the administrative code to further decrease fire risk.
• Intro. 749 — sponsored by New York City Councilmember Alexa Avilés — will require the DCWP, in consultation with the FDNY, to publish materials that provide guidance on safe use and storage of powered mobility devices.
• Intro. 752 — also sponsored by Councilmember Brewer — will prohibit the assembly or reconditioning of lithium-ion batteries using cells removed from used storage batteries and prohibit the sale of a lithium-ion batteries that use cells removed from used storage batteries.

 

Reacting to the news, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation commissioner, Sue Donoghue, said the city has witnessed the recent growth in electric micro-mobility use, and in coordination with sister agencies, is working on a pilot plan to safely introduce these devices into parks. “Our parks and greenways are critical parts of the city’s cycling and pedestrian infrastructure,” she said. “We are committed to supporting delivery workers and community members who use e-micro-mobility and want all park users, pedestrians, children, families, cyclists, and more, to feel safe and welcome in city parks.”

 

Not all Bronxites are thrilled about the use of e-bikes in parks, however, as previously reported.

Per FDNY Fire Marshals, the cause of today’s 5-alarm fire at 2096 Grand Concourse in the Bronx was a lithium-ion battery which powered a scooter. pic.twitter.com/HTifRojiJo

— FDNY (@FDNY) March 5, 2023

Meanwhile, the NYC Department for the Aging commissioner, Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, said having many transportation and mobility options is critically important for New Yorkers of all ages, including older adults. “As these options expand and grow, especially in the e-micro-mobility arena, it is our duty to ensure they are used safely and responsibly,” she said. “The plan released and the laws signed today by Mayor Eric Adams, including the education and new street design initiatives, will help make our city an even more safe and equitable place for older adults. This is another step by Mayor Adams to ensure New York is an age-inclusive place to live and work.”

 

In addition to the introduction of new fire safety legislation around the safe use of lithium-ion batteries by Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) and District 15 City Councilman Oswald Feliz, following the Fordham Heights 5-alarm fire on March 5, as reported, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81) also introduced new fire safety legislation at State level.

 

The first bill (A4938/S154A) would require all lithium-ion batteries and chargers to meet minimum industry safety standards in order to be legally sold in New York. The bill allows safety certifications to be determined by the Underwriters Laboratories, the International Electrotechnical Commission, the American National Standards Institute, or the Society of Automotive & Aerospace Engineering. Violations of the law would be subject to a $500 penalty for the first violation and a $1,000 penalty for subsequent violations.

 

The second bill (S154A/bill number pending) would prohibit the sale of second-use lithium-ion batteries intended for use in a bicycle with electric assist, an electric scooter, or a limited use motorcycle. Violations of the law would be subject to a $200 penalty for the first violation and a $1,000 penalty for subsequent violations within two years. Violations would be counted by each individual battery.

 

“Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly ubiquitous in modern society, from rechargeable laptops and phones to e-bikes and electric cars,” said Dinowitz. “It is paramount that New Yorkers trust that these products are safe to use and have in their homes, and this legislation will bring our regulatory system into the 21^st Century. Thank you to State Senator Krueger for her partnership on this important safety issue, and I look forward to constructive feedback from all stakeholders to make sure shoddy products do not derail technological progress.”

 

During the announcement earlier this month of the various pieces of new draft legislation to address the crisis, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said, “As a borough, we have seen an unprecedented number of fires that have caused irreparable harm to our communities,” Norwood News readers recently weighed in with their thoughts on e-bike fire safety.

 

News of the new City legislation was also welcomed by Gustavo Ajche, co-founder and leader of “Los Deliveristas Unidos,” a community organization representing delivery workers. He thanked Adams for his partnership in making New York City “better” for the 65,00 delivery workers he said depended on e-bikes and other micro-mobility devices to earn a living.

 

“Los Deliveristas Unidos looks forward to working together to transition into a safe, accessible, and reliable future of micro-mobility,” he said. “We are here to stay, to keep contributing with our labor and make this city better and more sustainable.”

 

Meanwhile, given the move away from gas-fueled vehicles and towards the use of e-vehicles, Elizabeth Adams, senior director for advocacy and organizing at Transportation Alternatives, an organization which works to reduce pollution through the promotion of alternative modes of transport, said, “E-micro-mobility is already an integral part of our city’s transportation infrastructure, especially in transit deserts.”

She added, “We must work together to ensure e-bikes in the five boroughs are equipped with safe batteries, build public charging stations, and develop safe infrastructure solutions to prevent future fires. E-bikes and e-scooters will make our city safer if we invest in the infrastructure and policy changes New Yorkers deserve.”

FDNY members are continuing to operate at a 5-alarm fire at 2096 Grand Concourse in the Bronx. pic.twitter.com/lU5cdal8mj

— FDNY (@FDNY) March 5, 2023

For more safety tips visit http://fdnysmart.org.

 

Regarding the referenced battery recall, consumers can call RELiON collect at (803) 324-6644 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or email at AMER-recall@oneasg.com, online at www.relionbattery.com/product-recall-us or www.relionbattery.com and click on “Product Recalls” at the bottom of the page.