Expert says lithium-ion battery fires are more common than you think

SPECTRUM NEWS 1 | RALEIGH, N.C. — New York City’s fire commissioner said lithium-ion batteries caused an early-morning fire at an e-bike store that killed four people Tuesday.

The commissioner said the business had received citations for safety violations previously.

What You Need To Know

A deadly fire in New York this week was attributed to lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes
Brian Staley of the Environmental Research & Education Foundation says lithium-ion batteries carry more energy and more risks than standard batteries
Staley offers some tips for safe handling and disposal of lithium-ion batteries

Bryan Staley, CEO of the Environmental Research & Education Foundation of Raleigh, said lithium-ion batteries can pose a risk not just to e-bikes but to cellphones and laptops.

“We’re all familiar with batteries that are used just in everyday use for a variety of different things,” he said. “Lithium-ion batteries pack many times more energy than a standard battery. They are typically rechargeable.”

He says they pose a danger because of the energy they carry.

“What happens is that basically it’s a chain reaction within the battery that can cause an explosion and a fire,” Staley said.