Lithium-ion battery fires in US residential buildings

Recent fatal residential fires in Philadelphia and the Bronx have been linked to the ignition of lithium-ion batteries from e-bikes or electric scooters.

In Philadelphia, a fire in the Fairhill neighborhood resulted in the death of a 3-year-old girl and left her mother in critical condition. Investigators determined the blaze was caused by a lithium-ion e-bike battery in an upstairs bedroom, noting a lack of smoke detectors in the home.

In the Bronx, a fire at the Patterson Houses in Mott Haven has resulted in multiple fatalities. While initial reports indicated one 11-year-old boy died and four family members were critically injured, subsequent updates confirm that four people died in the blaze: an 11-year-old child, two teenagers aged 15 and 16, and a 33-year-old woman. A 37-year-old man remains hospitalized in stable condition.

The FDNY determined the fire originated from a thermal failure of a lithium-ion battery belonging to a personal mobility vehicle being charged in an 11th-floor apartment. The device was positioned near the main exits, which blocked evacuation routes and trapped residents inside.

Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore and Mayor Zohran Mamdani have issued warnings regarding the charging of these devices, advising residents to use only certified batteries and avoid charging them while sleeping. Officials noted that 401 lithium-ion battery fires have been recorded across New York City so far this year, an increase from 292 cases during the same period last year.