New York City has been putting pressure on battery shops recently. And no wonder, given their announcement that fires caused by lithium-ion batteries have increased dramatically. Reading between the lines, they must have been encountering resistance. Breaking news is they arrested a battery offender for trading in conflict with city rules.
‘First Ever’ Arrest of Battery Offender in New York City
We put ‘first ever’ in quotes because there may have been others before. Nonetheless, The City media channel claims this was a first. Officials arrived at an electric bike shop in Brooklyn, and handcuffed the store owner after repeat infringements.
The fire marshals took this step as part of a campaign to stamp out battery fires, the reporter continues. We understand this was after the alleged battery offender sold ‘illegal uncertified batteries’, and ‘charged them in an unsafe manner’.
The specific violations apparently include ‘reckless endangerment’, and ’fire code violations’ due to unsafe storage and charging of batteries. The New York Fire Department previously relied on imposing civil penalties, but these only resulted in minor fines.
Is This Punitive Action Reasonable or Over the Top?
A few years ago we might have regarded the New York Fire Department action as over the top. However in their defense, the fire marshals are facing an increasing number of battery fires involving small mobility devices.
There have been an astounding 660 such incidents in the city since 2019, killing 28 mainly innocent people, and injuring 400 more. The action reported in the media occurred in context with random city-wide inspections of e-bike sales and repair shops.
It should be common cause to control small battery mobility devices, and convince dealers and stores to act responsibly at all times. The battery offender in question was apparently fined in August and October 2023, and this year in January 2024 again.
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