VIDEO: In a newly released Public Service Announcement (PSA), the FDNY is warning New Yorkers that home-based lithium-ion battery workshops pose serious fire risks.
On Aug. 17, the FDNY uncovered a battery repair workshop in Queens after a fire was reported in the cellar of a home. FDNY units found approximately 100 lithium-ion batteries burning when they arrived to the scene. Multiple micromobility devices and lithium-ion batteries were found in various states of disassembly and disrepair.
At another incident, this time on Aug. 26 in the Bronx, the FDNY responded to a basement fire. Upon arrival, members discovered multiple lithium-ion batteries and devices that were being worked on at the location.
“When batteries are tampered with, improperly stored, or uncertified, they become ticking time bombs that endanger not only families and neighbors but also the first responders who rush to save them. Worse yet—they’re illegal,” FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker said.
