Firefighters responded shortly after 2:30 a.m. to a fire in a sixth-floor apartment at the Jackie Robinson Houses, owned and operated by the Housing Authority of the City of New York. The scooter was inside the front door of the apartment, blocking the exit, according to the Fire Department. The fire was contained to one apartment and was brought under control about an hour later. One firefighter and at least one other person suffered minor injuries. Outside the NYCHA high-rise on Wednesday, a charred scooter sat unattended. Former associates and neighbors of the father, identified as Eric Williams, 46, said it belonged to him. They described him as fun-loving and said he had previously worked for the Parks Department. His name, as well as that of his daughter and the woman, who neighbors said was his girlfriend, were not immediately released by police. E-bikes and scooters have been involved in a number of fires in recent months, prompting the housing authority to propose banning them entirely from its buildings. Experts say the problems are often linked to aging, damaged or malfunctioning batteries and charging devices. The Fire Service has repeatedly warned about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries. Another fire Monday on Townsend Avenue in the Bronx was also caused by lithium-ion batteries from e-bikes or scooters, firefighters said. Wednesday’s fire brought the number of deaths linked to lithium-ion batteries this year to five, according to Fire Department statistics. Marshals have conducted 121 battery-related investigations so far this year — already surpassing the 104 conducted last year — and recorded 66 related injuries. For all of 2021, there were 79 injuries and four deaths related to lithium-ion batteries. (While these batteries are also found in cell phones, laptops and electric cars, there have been no widespread reports of these items catching fire.) According to NYCHA, since 2019 there have been approximately 10 public housing fires that have received an official or probable cause related to lithium-ion batteries. In a statement Wednesday, an agency spokeswoman said the public comment period on the proposed new policy to ban e-bikes and e-bike batteries in its buildings has been extended to Sept. 6 and that the agency will issue a final policy after this date. The Fire Service handed out pamphlets and leaflets on fire safety and advice on the use of e-bikes and scooters near the fire scene on Wednesday. Among the tips: Before buying an e-bike, make sure it has the UL mark, which means it has been tested and meets safety standards. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for charging and storage and use only that company’s power cords. The popularity of e-bikes has grown dramatically in recent years, but many who use them – both for work and pleasure – can struggle with these instructions. Doing so can be much more expensive than buying off-brand or refurbished equipment. And e-bikes are often used by delivery workers who are on very low wages and who have to scramble to afford the bikes in the first place. E-bikes weren’t legalized in New York until 2020, when many residents relied on delivery services, though they were a common sight before then. Apart from fire safety concerns, there is also growing friction over traffic safety on busy city streets. Inside the Harlem building Wednesday, the walls in the hallway near the apartment were blackened and the smell of smoke was present. A woman who lives on the fifth floor said she had escaped with her children, including a 3-month-old. “It’s scary,” he said. “It’s a tragedy that happened, a little girl’s life was lost.” Outside, a pair of former co-workers – Stephanie Cardona, 46, and Courtney Storey, 52 – discussed creating a memorial. They had worked with Mr. Williams at the Parks Department, where they said he was a crew chief. The scooter, they said, was “his transportation.” Ms. Cardona recalled that Mr. Williams was always at the local park with his daughter and three Huskies, which they said were lost in the fire. Ms Storey fought back tears as she contemplated the fight ahead of Mr Williams. “I hope to God it works out,” he said. “It’s going to be a process that you go through and then your baby is gone.” “The world is not playing fair at all,” he added. Alain Delaquérière contributed to the research.
