Fire at Illegal Scooter Repair Shop Injures Two

YS Gold 

As we reported yesterday, the FDNY responded yesterday to a blaze on the third floor of a home on 20th Avenue and 57th Street. Two people were injured in the blaze, one seriously, and transported to the burn center at Staten Island University Hospital

They determined that the blaze was started by lithium-ion batteries that were located in an illegal scooter repair shop on the first floor. Members of Hazmat Company 1, Squad Company 1 and the Hazmat Battalion responded to the scene to remove the faulty lithium-ion batteries that caused the fire.

This comes amid an increase in fires caused by such batteries, and has raised concerns about the safety of residents in New York City. 253 incidents were reported in 2023, up from 30 in 2019.