New York is moving aggressively to bolster urban safety by introducing stricter regulations for electric bikes following an unfortunate incident. The recent tragedy in Harlem, where a fire caused by an exploding lithium battery killed one person, has prompted the city to act decisively to regulate these devices.
The incident, which claimed the life of a 27-year-old journalist, has highlighted the dangers that lithium batteries used in these vehicles can pose. According to firefighters’ reports, the fire originated in an apartment inhabited by six delivery workers, where a battery in the process of charging exploded, reaching the residence located directly above and causing death.
Responding to the urgency of preventing future accidents, the Big Apple City Council has approved measures to tighten control over electric bicycles. These include the obligation for the distributors of these bicycles to clearly indicate the regulations that the batteries must comply with. In addition, the fire department will be given authority to intervene when the regulations are not respected.
This effort to stop incidents of this type is not new. In March 2023, Congressman Ritchie Torres proposed a bill at the federal level. This bill sought to establish mandatory safety standards for the manufacture and sale of these batteries, also holding online sales portals responsible for marketing products that did not comply with these standards.
The rise in the use of electric bicycles due to the increase in food delivery orders has brought with it an alarming increase in incidents related to lithium batteries. According to The City portal, citing statistics from the fire department, fires caused by these batteries have increased from 30 in 2019 to 268 four years later, resulting in 18 fatalities.
By implementing these new measures, the New York City Council hopes to significantly reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future, thereby safeguarding the lives and well-being of New Yorkers.
