New York City has had a sharp increase in e-bike fires during the pandemic, so fire officials are offering some tips to keep the lithium-ion batteries on the bikes from overheating.
E-bike ownership has skyrocketed in New York since the pandemic began, and with it, e-bike fires, according to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). There have been 75 e-bike fires so far this year, which is on pace to double last year’s total, officials said. The fires have caused 72 injuries and three deaths. “This is a very serious problem that keeps increasing,” Daniel Nigro, the FDNY commissioner, said in a press conference Wednesday. “We’ve not had that problem with phones or other devices. The problem has started with the proliferation of battery-operated bikes.”