WATCH: E-bike battery explodes, burns down NYC store

A shocking video released by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) has captured the terrifying moment when an e-bike’s lithium-ion battery exploded, triggering a devastating fire that engulfed a store in Queens.

The alarming footage serves as a reminder of the potential hazards posed by these batteries, leading to a significant blaze and raising concerns about the safety of such electronic devices.

The CCTV recording, taken inside the e-bike store on a Saturday night, reveals a seemingly routine setting before chaos erupts. The footage depicts a packed space filled with mopeds, highlighting the suddenness and intensity of the battery explosion that unleashed a fierce inferno.

Responding swiftly to the two-alarm fire, the FDNY arrived to find nearly two dozen e-bikes ablaze. Fortunately, the store was unoccupied at the time, so there were no civilian casualties. However, a firefighter sustained minor injuries while combating the ferocious flames.

Investigations pointed to the lithium-ion battery of an e-bike as the source of the conflagration. The video footage, capturing the battery’s ignition around 10:40 pm, vividly portrays the rapid escalation of sparks and explosions that transformed into a blazing fire, consuming the entire shop within a matter of minutes.

As the e-bike becomes normal in New York City, the FDNY reported over 130 fires associated with e-bikes and e-scooters in the year 2022 alone. These incidents resulted in five deaths and numerous injuries, underscoring the critical need for enhanced safety measures regarding these widely used electronic devices.

Authorities, including the National Fire Protection Association in the US, have emphasised the importance of adhering to safety guidelines to mitigate such risks. 

The FDNY has persistently cautioned residents about the potential dangers linked to e-bike lithium-ion batteries, attributing them to a notable surge in fire incidents across the city.