Over the weekend, a fire involving lithium-ion batteries lit up a warehouse in Brooklyn where hundreds of e-bikes and other mobility devices were being stored.
The New York City Council is now trying to tackle the problem from a different approach - by going after third-party delivery companies. As the crisis from lithium-ion battery fires continues to swell, officials say it's time delivery companies share responsibility.
New legislation proposed by Council Member Oswald Feliz would require delivery apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub to provide safe and certified e-bikes to workers who don't have one.
"These delivery companies have their biggest market right here in New York City and we've seen a lot of fire safety issues caused by these e-bikes. So, not fair for them to simply just turn a blind eye on the issues that are being caused," said Feliz.