E-bike battery fires, such as one that occurred last month on W. 23rd Street (above), are on pace to achieve record highs in New York City this year.
E-bike battery fires, such as one that occurred last month on W. 23rd Street (above), are on pace to achieve record highs in New York City this year. ( Photo: Satish Shahi)

There have been 282 battery fires as of late August, compared to 292 through all of last year, with one person killed—down from a peak of 18 fatalities in 2023.

NYC’s E-Bike Battery Fires on Pace to Pass Last Year’s Record
25 Aug 2026 | 05:32
News

The number of lithium ion battery fires appears to be on track to outpace last year’s record total, according to the latest batch of FDNY data.

The alarming trend was first reported by Gothamist, which noted that “thermal runaway” can cause an explosive reaction in faulty rechargeable batteries, such...

Go back
  • 1
  • 2
Go forward