Early Thursday morning, New York Fire Department crews responded to a fire at an e-bike shop in Richmond Hill, the same location where a major fire broke out on March 13, 2023. Once again, a lithium-ion battery exploded, sparking the wildfire that engulfed the building.
Photo courtesy of DOB
The New York City Fire Department battled a fire at a Richmond Hill e-bike shop for the second time in 17 months early Thursday morning. Once again, a hazardous materials unit was called to tend to the lithium-ion batteries after one of the batteries started the blaze that engulfed the building and left three households homeless, authorities said.
Shortly before 2:30 a.m., firefighters arrived at Kings Electric Scooters at 102-44 Jamaica Avenue and began removing dozens of charred gasoline and electric-powered two-wheelers from the business.
Just like the New York Fire Department’s first response to a fire at Kings Electric Scooters on March 13, 2023, the fire started in the garage area where the e-bikes and scooters are stored.
The fire was brought under control at 3:21 a.m. One firefighter was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center with minor injuries.
Last month, Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Fire Department launched a $1 million advertising campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of faulty lithium-ion batteries. The campaign included materials in 10 different languages placed in neighborhoods with high concentrations of battery-related fires, as well as ads in subways, bus stops, digital kiosks and high-traffic areas.
According to the FDNY, about $750,000 was spent on these ads, with another $250,000 earmarked for educational materials and modern firefighting equipment to fight battery fires.
New York Fire Department officials determined the official cause of the fire was a lithium-ion battery, which was seen in a recovered video bursting into flames before engulfing the building. According to the New York Fire Department, the battery was not charged at the time of the explosion.
Inspectors from the city’s Department of Buildings were called to the scene to assess the structural integrity of the two-story multi-purpose building. They found extensive fire damage throughout the building, including holes in the roof. They concluded that the building’s basement had been illegally converted into two apartments. The Department of Buildings issued a partial eviction order for the basement and found misdemeanors for the illegal construction and remodeling work that had taken place there.
The American Red Cross was on site to provide emergency assistance with the relocation for five adults in three households made homeless by the fire. The Greater New York Disaster Action Team also provided personal care items such as clothing, shoes and recovery information. If residents affected by the fire need recovery assistance and have not yet contacted the Red Cross, they should call 1-877-RED CROSS (877-733-2767).
