Lithium ion battery fires have been on the rise across the country since about 2019 due to the increasing number of e-bikes and scooters on the road.
Cheddar’s own Ashley Mastronardi spoke to a business owner who was personally affected by an e-bike blaze.
"You see your livelihood is burning, it’s not easy to see," said Khalid Raja, owner of Quality Discount Inc., which was damaged in a five-alarm fire that started with a faulty e-bike lithium battery
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were 25,000 lithium-ion battery fires reported in a five-year period.
The New York City Fire Department said these fires are happening all over the country and offered some tips for how to stay safe, including never plugging a battery-powered bike into a power strip and avoiding charging bikes at night.
Caitlyn Marie Armstrong, the woman suspected of killing a professional cyclist, attempted to escape authorities during a medical appointment Wednesday. Armstrong was charged with murder for allegedly shooting Anna Mariah Wilson.
Palestinians in Gaza lined up outside bakeries on Thursday after spending the night in pitch darkness surrounded by the ruins of pulverized neighborhoods, as Israel launched new airstrikes and said it was preparing for a possible ground invasion.
