NEW YORK — An electric scooter repair shop in Queens caught fire on Monday afternoon, triggered by what investigators believe was a lithium-ion battery.
Batteries used to power electric bikes and scooters have wreaked havoc in New York, prompting FDNY officials to call for increased safety and city leaders to push for new legislation.
The FDNY has attributed dozens of fires to faulty batteries as the number grows. A growing list of businesses and homes have been destroyed by arson at all hours of the day.
The firefighters came King electric scooters in Richmond Hills around 3 p.m. after the last battery fire started. After crews successfully brought the blaze under control and extinguished the flames, dozens of charred and blackened electric scooters and bicycles were removed from the building.
Investigators believe an exploded battery caused an additional 50 batteries to explode inside the store. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
People live in a handful of apartments above the Jamaica Avenue store. Some residents were spared, but at least one woman is said to have lost everything in the fire.