Lithium batteries cause disaster again, Benson congratulates Chinese house fire in Brooklyn_1

A fire broke out in a semi-detached home in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, on Sunday, October 13, originating from a lithium battery on an outdoor electric bike. The blaze severely damaged both the first and second floors of the residence, but fortunately, there were no injuries reported.

Around 9:10 AM, flames suddenly erupted in the front yard of a semi-detached home located between West 9th and West 10th Streets on O Avenue. Eyewitness Mr. Li, who was working nearby, recounted, “I initially thought there was a car accident when I heard a loud bang. When I stepped outside, I saw the front yard of the house across the street was on fire, so I quickly called 911.” He noted that although the fire started small, it spread quickly. By the time firefighters arrived, flames were nearly reaching the second floor, accompanied by thick, rolling smoke. From the street, it was evident that the windows on both floors were ablaze.

Approximately 60 firefighters responded promptly, bringing multiple fire engines to the scene. They utilized high-pressure hoses to contain the fire and accessed the interior through side windows of the home. By 9:53 AM, firefighters had largely brought the blaze under control. In the front yard, they found three electric bikes, charred and misshapen, along with damaged lithium batteries. After extinguishing the fire, additional lithium batteries were discovered in a second-floor room, which the firefighters safely placed in a specialized safety container designed for this type of battery.

According to sources familiar with the situation, both the owner and tenants of the affected house are part of the local Chinese community. The owner purchased the property about five or six years ago to rent it out. The electric bike that caused the explosion belonged to a tenant living on the second floor. This tenant had parked the bike below the window in the front yard and was charging its lithium battery using an extension cord from the second floor. The tenant never anticipated that the outdoor battery would ignite a fire of such magnitude that it would impact other residents. Luckily, since the home has a brick exterior, even though the outer walls were scorched, the main structure remained intact.

The landlord had divided the property into four rental units, housing four families. In the aftermath of the fire, the residence was rendered uninhabitable due to power and water outages. To assist affected tenants, the landlord is personally covering the costs of temporary accommodations while also working to repair the fire-damaged home to welcome them back as soon as possible.

Data indicates that in 2023, New York City experienced 133 fires caused by uncharged lithium batteries, with an additional 91 fires occurring while these batteries were being charged. Up until September 30 of this year, the city reported a total of 202 lithium battery-related fires, 104 of which took place within buildings. Last June, a major fire in a motorcycle shop on Madison Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown resulted in four fatalities, including a 71-year-old individual.