As a general rule it has become wise practice not to leave charging batteries unattended. WYRK.Com cranked up the pressure on May 13, 2023 when it published, as it put it, a “massive warning” about charging e-bikes and phones. Apparently the summer weather has more New York folk enjoying greater mobility in the sun. But they have to recharge their devices when they return home, and there’s the catch.
Fresh Warning about Charging Phones and E-Bikes
The WYRK.Com news channel cites fire officials asking residents to be extra careful when they charge anything with a battery. Fox News adds that what was once an emerging threat “has become a full-blown crisis in New York City”. There, fire officials faced an average one lithium ion battery fire every 36 hours of 2022.
Despite fire official pleas to act responsibly, things seem to be getting worse in the Big Apple per the following statistics from WYRK.Com:
- There were no reported lithium-ion fires in New York in 2020.
- Six people died from over 200 such fires in the city in 2022.
- 77 fires caused 56 injuries and 9 deaths in New York this year.
Commissioner Laura Kavanagh posted the following tweets on May 11 2023 per Twitter:
Study Your Regulations and Advisories Carefully
Know the safety procedures and stick to them consistently, when charging e-bikes particularly and phones too. Study the fire commissioner’s advice carefully. She says in her tweet and we repeat:
- Do not use a battery that lacks safety certifications, is damaged, or is aftermarket.
- Always be present when you charge batteries, and never do it overnight while sleeping.
- Make sure your device is not blocking windows or doors. These are your fire escapes.
Remember this too. When lithium-ion batteries become too warm during charging, they can shoot themselves out as far as sixty feet. And this can create multiple fires according to Walden Environmental Engineering, which complicates safe evacuation.
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