By Gus Saltonstall
Two people are in the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a fire possibly connected to a lithium-ion battery broke out Monday morning on the Upper West Side, an FDNY spokesperson confirmed to West Side Rag.
The flames ignited about 6 a.m. on the second floor of a building at 2612 Broadway, between West 98th and 99th streets, FDNY said.
A total of 77 firefighters responded to the blaze, which was under control by 6:45 a.m., FDNY said. The spokesperson added that lithium-ion batteries were present on the scene, but did not confirm the cause of the fire.
Lithium-ion batteries are used in electric bikes and electric scooters, and are connected to 17 of this year’s 93 fire deaths in New York City, reported the New York Post on Sunday morning.
The fire marshal is investigating what happened.
Please check back in for updates.
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I am handicapped and use an electric trike powered by lithium batteries for the last 6 years with no issues. We also have a plug in electric car for three years now with no issues. With proper care all goes well, carelessness breeds problems.
There is some truth to that, but carelessness is very common.
Glad for you for having zero problems and that you are safe & sound.
However, lithium batteries are not full proof safe, can catch on fire that takes much longer to put out and as well cause major devastation to the earth while being dug out of the ground.
The refusal to have meaningful regulations passed regarding E-Bikes that could mitigate these fires is directly due to Transportation Alternatives and their government shills such as Gale Brewer and their representatives on CB7. They have an agenda, to eliminate cars. They pursue that agenda under the guise of “safety” for pedestrians and cyclists no matter what the actual facts and data show related to accidents on the UWS. They will not support any legislation for regulation because they view it as a hindrance to the growth of the use of cycles of all varieties. Ebikes need to be registered and regulated. The so-called “deliveristas” need to be licensed and insured and the huge corporate entities that use them need to be held accountable.
The rush for cycles, bike lanes etc was done without a comprehensive plan that could forsee many of these issues and that would have actually made our neighborhood safer. Instead, an anti-car attack on fellow neighbors has been the strategy. Neighborhood parking, licensing, cameras, innovative ways to ease traffic, e-bikes etc all need to be developed as part of a comprehensive plan.
Register bikes? That’s tantamount to totally accepting all bikes on our streets
we can then say goodbye to safe streets forever.
All bikes are all over our streets already! And that includes motorcycles of the gas powered variety in bicycle lanes.
77 firefighters?
This is a supported residence building?
I hope they will be OK. This is the Huntersmoon shelter that the city decided to put right next to a liquor store. Just another unaccountable and mis-managed shelter that our UWS officials welcome with open arms. Remember, last month Gale Brewer said we need more SRO’s on the UWS.
And no registrations for e-bikes so no accountability when they practically run you over on the sidewalk and speed away – that’s what our re-elected official Gale Brewer decided. So you have unsafe e-bikes now in shelters.
But everyone is happy with who is leading this city and state, right?
This isn’t the first time an e-bike has exploded and has harmed my father! The family is very torn up and wish he hadn’t gotten another one after the last incident. Please send your prayers for my dads recovery has he is badly burned from this incident.
So sorry condolences
Our Mayor refuses to ban these dangerous
batteries. He is not doing his job
I believe we should vote him out as too
many deaths snd injuries have happened
due to his inaction I think u should sue the City.
Speedy recovery and please let the community know what they can do to help your family, Kristie
Thank you so much. As of right now he is in serious conditions, 65% of his body is covered in 2nd degree burns. He lost a lot of fluids and has been in an induced coma since Monday afternoon. Please continue to keep him in your prayers, right now we are focusing on his recovery while gathering all of the information on the incident.