@streetsblognyc: Six Brooklynites were killed in an early morning fire that engulfed an entire wooden row house — and authorities are investigating whether the blaze is linked to this year’s 68 percent rise in fires sparked or intensified by highly flammable lithium-ion batteries. After a peak in deaths associated with the batteries in 2023, officials were quick to pass legislation banning the sale of uncertified lithium-ion batteries and e-bikes, but they are still easy to obtain online on sites like Facebook Marketplace. In addition, after-market modifications make batteries unstable. Many batteries bought during the pandemic — when the delivery industry fueled by e-bikes boomed — are nearing the end of their useable life. The decay of lithium-ion batteries is one reason why there have been fewer deaths this year from fires, even as there have been more blazes, because more fires are occurring outside of homes when batteries are discarded. Read more from Sophia Lebowitz at nyc.streetsblog.org

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Thursday 05 November 2026 22:22:54 GMT