NEW YORK — The New York City Office of Public Safety, along with the Fire Department and other officials will unveil a new initiative Friday to prevent fires caused by lithium-ion batteries at bike shops. and bicycle repair shops.
The announcement comes two days after New York City Mayor Eric Adams vowed to tighten surveillance of shops selling electric bikes and mopeds following the death of four people in a fire caused by a lithium battery on Tuesday in a business that sells and repairs these devices.
“While electric bikes are an important part of our transportation network and essential to many small businesses, our message is clear: there will be zero tolerance for any activity that endangers New Yorkers,” the mayor said at an event attended by municipal fire brigade and small business commissioners.
So far this year, 13 deaths and 66 people have been injured in 108 fires caused by lithium batteries, according to official data.
David Rodríguez with the special report.
The mayor insisted that the new action plan will include the immediate investigation of complaints about potentially dangerous conditions of storage or handling of lithium batteries in bicycle shops.
Likewise, an education campaign will be launched for the owners of these premises on the dangers of these batteries and on the best practices to prevent fires.
“As of now, calls to (911) 3-1-1 about questionable activity at bike repair shops or any other place where batteries are charged will receive a response from the local fire station within 12 hours, in an effort to save lives,” Adams said.
The fire on Tuesday occurred at a location in the Chinatown neighborhood, located in the county of Manhattan and which was located in the lower part of a residential building.
In addition to the deaths of two men and two women, two other people were hospitalized in serious condition.
