‘Enough is enough’: rising number of deadly ebike battery fires spark fear in New York City
Summary
New York City has recorded more than 400 fires involving lithium-ion batteries so far in 2026, with 83 injuries and 12 deaths, up from 292 fires, 51 injuries and one death in 2025. The city has tested battery-swapping cabinets and announced charging stations, but planned installations have been delayed, and a federal grant for public-housing charging and storage stations has not been provided.Key Facts
- The FDNY recorded 292 lithium-ion battery fires, 51 injuries and one death in 2025.
- In 2026, the city has recorded more than 400 such fires, 83 injuries and 12 deaths.
- Four people, including an 11-year-old boy, died in an October Bronx apartment fire caused by an ebike battery near an exit.
- A Brooklyn house fire killed six people and injured nine; investigators found lithium-ion batteries at the scene but had not determined whether they caused the fire.
- A 2024 city pilot let delivery workers swap depleted batteries for charged ones; participants made more than 12,000 swaps over six months and reduced home charging by 35%.
- The city announced 25 charging sites after the pilot, with availability planned for 2028.
- A $25 million federal grant was announced in 2023 for 173 charging and storage stations at 53 public housing developments, but the funds had not been provided and no stations had been built.
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