- Cheap, poor quality batteries are more likely to start a fire.
- Fires from lithium-ion batteries spread more quickly, and have been deadly in New York in recent years.
- People should follow guidance on using the batteries safely, such as using high quality batteries and charging them with proper cords.
A fire in Queens that killed two children last week put lithium-ion batteries back in the spotlight.
The fire sparked from a lithium-ion battery in an e-bike stored near the first floor entrance of a multi-family building. The flames traveled quickly to the second floor apartment, and while a father and three children were able to escape out a window, two of the family's children perished in the blaze.
With increasing regularity, the batteries have made headlines for the fires they've caused, spurring public information campaigns and responses from local governments. Experts say these fires are particularly deadly and videos show why: batteries can spontaneously burst into flames.
"They're very temperamental," said Neil Caputo, director of Westchester County Fire Services Division of its Department of Emergency Services.
Here's what to know about lithium-ion batteries, the dangers they pose and how to stay safe.
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What are lithium-ion batteries?
Lithium-ion batteries were developed in the early 1970s and have since become ubiquitous in everyday products, from cell phones and laptops to e-bikes, scooters, electric vehicles and lawnmowers. Some of these items use lithium-ion batteries, which are rechargeable, while others use lithium batteries, which are disposable.
Compared to other batteries, "They store at least double the energy. They're half the weight, half the size," said Stanley Whittingham, a distinguished professor of chemistry and materials science at Binghamton University.
Whittingham won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2019 with John B. Goodenough and Akira Yoshino for their work in developing the lithium-ion battery.
But the same reason the batteries are so effective − higher energy density − is the same reason they can be so deadly, said Susan Spear, deputy commissioner of Westchester's Department of Emergency Services.
Lithium-ion batteries started to dominate many products in the 2000s, Whittingham said, but in the past five to 10 years they started showing up in other products, such as lawn and garden tools.
"The real issue is we're getting cheap, bad batteries," Whittingham said. Poor quality batteries manufactured overseas and sold for cheap rates pose more of a safety concern.
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Getting the word out about safe battery use
Lithium-ion batteries have had damaging and sometimes deadly consequences.
The Queens fire last week marked a concerning milestone for New York City: It was the 59th fire caused by a lithium-ion battery powering a micro-mobility device this year and brought the city's number of deaths in such instances to five. Last year, the city saw six deaths.
Westchester saw between 15 and 20 fires from lithium-ion batteries last year, Chief Douglas Stiller, chief of special operations in the Department of Emergency Services, estimated.
In recent years, recycling plants across the state have also been confronted with the risk. An improperly tossed battery caused a five-alarm fire at a recycling plant in Queens in early 2018,and is believed to be the cause of a massive blaze that ripped through cubes of recycled materials at a facility in Tioga County, near Binghamton, in early 2020.
Spear, of Westchester's Department of Emergency Services, also noted that these fires are more deadly, noting their explosive nature.
Last month, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced an initiative to incentivize safe and legal use of transportation devices that use lithium-ion batteries, educate the public about safe usage, advocate for additional regulation and promote the growth of devices such as e-bikes.
And Westchester is taking on the problem in several ways: training firefighters, doing public outreach, particularly to landlords, tenants and bicycle shops, and looking at legislation at every level. Additionally, the county is advocating for the ability to track fires from lithium-ion batteries in the National Fire Incident Reporting System.
Whittingham said all levels of government should ban batteries that aren't UL-approved, which means products have been tested by Underwriters Laboratories and met safety standards.
How to handle lithium-ion batteries safely
New York City and Westchester County officials and Whittingham listed several ways people can safely use lithium-ion batteries:
- Don't charge devices such as cell phones under pillows or in bed.
- Charge devices away from doorways or windows so as not to block an exit in a fire.
- Only use devices that have the UL mark showing they've been tested and are safe.
- Use charging cords that came with the device.
- Charge scooters and e-bikes while someone is awake and present in case the devices ignites.
- Replace batteries if damaged or not working properly.
- Only charge batteries at room temperature. Keep them out of direct sunlight and hot vehicles.
- Take used batteries to designated collection sites, like your municipal recycling center or even a local electronics store. Do not throw them in the trash. In Westchester, batteries should be taken to the Household Material Recovery Facility.
Contact Diana Dombrowski atddombrowski@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at@domdomdiana.
