Good morning. It’s Thursday. We look at batteries that power e-bikes and scooters – and the risks fire officials say they pose. We will also look at a police officer who was promoted despite past disciplinary charges.
Almost four times a week since January – almost every other day – firefighters in New York City have faced a new and troubling reality: the fire caused by a lithium-ion battery.
The Fire Department says battery fires have killed six people and injured 140 so far this year. There were 87 more lithium-ion battery fires in New York City in the first 11 months of 2022 than in all of last year.
Lithium-ion batteries power everything from smartphones and laptops to power tools, but fire safety experts have singled out the batteries for e-bikes, scooters and hoverboards as particularly dangerous. The Fire Department now considers lithium-ion batteries to be such a problem that it has inserted a section titled “e-bike safety” at the beginning of the annual fire safety notice that building managers and landlords are supposed to distribute to tenants.
“Lithium-ion batteries and chargers pose serious fire safety hazards,” he says flatly, adding that e-bikes and other “mobility devices” shouldn’t be charged in apartments because most don’t have sprinklers. of an apartment, and that household furnishings are highly flammable. Fire safety experts warn that the consequences can be catastrophic. Respect:
At least five e-bikes or scooters were being charged in an East Side high-rise apartment when a fire broke out last month. Firefighters hanging on ropes managed to save a woman from the 20th floor.
A battery fire in an apartment in a public housing complex in Harlem killed a 5-year-old girl and a 36-year-old woman in August. The girl’s father was badly burned.
That same month, a 27-year-old Venezuelan man working double shifts delivering food to delis in the Bronx died when the e-bike he was charging in his apartment caught fire.
Experts say the problems often start with aging, damaged or malfunctioning batteries and charging devices – or batteries in chargers they weren’t designed for. The Fire Department warns that unapproved batteries can overcharge, overheat and catch fire. It is recommended to ensure that an e-bike or scooter has a UL, ETL or CSA symbol, which indicates that it meets safety standards.
Dealing with lithium-ion batteries and chargers presents difficult choices for regulators and legislators. Thomas Currao, the Fire Department’s acting fire prevention chief, told a City Council hearing on November 14 that “the challenge before us is to strike the appropriate balance of ensuring public safety and not causing unnecessary disruption on the way of life and the enjoyment of the users.”
The city proposed and then effectively banned e-bikes and scooters from buildings in public housing complexes several months ago. A spokesperson for the Housing Authority of New York City said the agency was “still working on determining the next steps for this new rule.”
One bill introduced in the City Council would ban sales of refurbished lithium-ion batteries, which tend to be cheaper. “We don’t want fires,” said Gale Brewer, a Manhattan Council member who introduced two of the bills, “but the 65,000 people served have to be able to pay what’s safe. It’s a dilemma.”
There is a chance that there will be charging stations. Mayor Eric Adams and Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, announced a $1 million federal grant to turn three empty newsstands into places where suppliers could stop to recharge the batteries in their e-bikes.
Only one in 10 million lithium-ion batteries fail, according to the nonprofit Fire Protection Research Foundation. But Currao said lithium-ion battery fires “present challenges to firefighters that are different from other types of fires,” including the possibility of thermal runaway.
“This occurs when excess heat is generated within the battery, resulting in an uncontrolled, self-heating state that exceeds the rate at which the heat can be safely dissipated,” he said at the City Council hearing. “This causes a domino effect within the battery cells and can create an explosive situation.”
The danger can continue after the fire is out, he warned. “The battery is still essentially a box of chemicals,” Currao said, “and it’s not unusual for it to change,” sometimes hours or even days later.
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Valid until December 8 (Immaculate Conception)
The officer No. 3 new in the New York City Police Department to the agency’s top non-commissioned rank despite past disciplinary charges and drawn-out litigation since 2016.
The officer, Jeffrey Maddrey, will be acting head of the department, according to law enforcement officials and an internal memo. He replaces Kenneth Corey, who retired on Tuesday.
In 31 years with the Police Department, Chief Maddrey rose through the ranks, most recently leading the Patrol Services Bureau – the largest in the Police Department and the one that most directly impacts the lives of New York, with responsibility for eight borough orders comprising all 77. police precinct in the city. When he was appointed to that position five months ago, Commissioner Keechant Sewell described him as “one of the most well-known leaders in the NYP. and someone “who has successfully combined his talents as an effective crime fighter with his deep passion for community policing.”
My colleague Chelsia Rose Marcius writes that his latest promotion raises questions about the perception that the Police Department is struggling to regain trust after clashes with protesters following the death of George Floyd in 2020.
Maddrey is the subject of a civil case stemming from harassment allegations filed by a former deputy in 2016, according to Manhattan Supreme Court records. He denied the allegations, and while facing internal discipline, a federal lawsuit against him was dismissed in 2019. He was also criticized last year for ordering the release of a retired police officer accused of using his gun to shoot children. threat.
That part of his record likely had little bearing on the decision to name him the department’s acting chief, said Keith Taylor, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a former detective sergeant. Other factors, including how effectively leaders can traverse the politically charged landscape of city law enforcement, carry weight, he said.
“Scandals, and ongoing legal and civil challenges, are just doing business. It’s the process of the world they live in,” Taylor said.
Contents
Gray’s Papaya
It was hot outside when I walked into Gray’s Papaya on Broadway at 72nd Street to get a papaya drink.
I was in line behind a thick man with thinning hair and a scruffy beard. He was taking his time deciding what condiments to add to his hot dog, so I walked ahead of him to order my drink.
“Get back on track, lady!” he said.
“I’m sorry,” I replied, hurrying back to my base.
After I got my drink and started to leave, I walked past the same guy. He was leaning against a side counter, munching on his hot dog.
“You shouldn’t drink that stuff,” he said, pointing to my drink. “It’s poison!”
“Papaya?” I said. “It’s supposed to be healthy.”
“You respect?” he said. “My brother-in-law was in from L.A. and he drank that stuff. He became ill for three days.”
“What about that hot dog you’re eating?” I asked a question. “It’s not so healthy either.”
“Doesn’t matter?” he said. “I like the taste of it!”
Illustrated by Agnes Lee. Send submissions here and read more Metropolitan Diary here.
Glad we could meet here. See you tomorrow. — J.B.
P.S. Here’s today’s Crossword and Spelling Bee. You can find all our puzzles here.
Melissa Guerrero and Ed Shanahan contributed to New York Today. You can reach the team at nytoday@nytimes.com.
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When can batteries catch fire?
When lithium-ion batteries fail they can undergo thermal runaway. This involves the violent explosion of a single or multiple battery cells, the hiss and release of toxic, flammable and explosive gases, and an intense self-sustaining fire that can be difficult to extinguish.
Can batteries catch fire spontaneously? The batteries have a tendency to overheat and can spontaneously combust while being charged. The Clean Energy Institute said the batteries can also lose capacity and fail “after a few years.â€
At what temperature do batteries catch fire? Never store batteries at temperatures above 170°F (76°C) as this may result in self-combustion.
How often do batteries start fires? According to the high-tech reporting site CNET, your odds of a lithium battery fire are about 1 in 10 million.
Can batteries be a fire hazard?
Are batteries dangerous? When used correctly, no. But batteries can be a fire hazard when they are overcharged, short-circuited, submerged in water or damaged. It is also extremely important to charge them safely.
What kind of batteries can catch fire? However, lithium-ion batteries are extremely sensitive to high temperatures and inherently flammable. These battery packs tend to degrade much faster than they normally would, due to heat. If a lithium-ion battery pack fails, it will burst into flames and cause widespread damage.
What causes batteries to catch fire? We know that physical damage or electrical abuse, such as short circuits, overcharging, and exposure to elevated temperatures, can cause thermal runaway. In addition, manufacturer defects, such as defects and/or contaminants in the manufacturing process, can cause thermal runaway.
What hazardous materials are in batteries?
All these batteries must eventually be disposed of, and some batteries should be managed as hazardous waste due to their toxic content or reactive properties. Batteries currently contain one or more of the following eight metals: cadmium, lead, zinc, manganese, nickel, silver, mercury and lithium.
Which hazard class are batteries? Lithium ion and lithium metal cells and batteries are listed as Class 9 Miscellaneous Hazardous Materials in the United States and international hazardous materials (dangerous goods) regulations and are subject to specific packaging, marking, labeling and shipping paper requirements.
What is inside a battery, is it harmful? The average AAA, AA, C, D, 9-volt alkaline battery or button cell is made of steel and a mixture of zinc/manganese/potassium/graphite, with the rest made up of paper and plastic. Being non-toxic materials, all of these battery ‘ingredients’ are conveniently recyclable.
What hazardous material is in a battery?
They contain substances such as sulfuric acid, mercury, nickel, cadmium or lead, as well as other dangerous materials that can give batteries a variety of hazardous properties. These hazardous substances can also pose a fire or explosion hazard.
What are the 3 main chemicals used in batteries? 60% of the battery is made up of materials such as zinc (anode), manganese (cathode) and potassium.
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