New York's never-ending battle against lithium-ion battery fires

Having unwittingly become a laboratory for the risks it faces, New York has had to learn to live with fires linked to lithium-ion batteries. Behind the laws, campaigns, and devices installed in the streets, the city is waging an active and constant battle to contain the danger.

1 | The warning from the numbers

Between 2019 and 2023, the number of fires caused by batteries in micromobility devices (bicycles, scooters, hoverboards) in New York City increased twelvefold: from 21 incidents in 2019 to 268 in 2023 , according to an analysis by Oxford Economics , UL Solutions , and FireRescue1.

Over the same period, the number of victims (injured and deceased combined) increased from 9 to 154.

This data, compiled from surveys by the FDNY Bureau of Fire Investigation and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, highlighted an exponential growth in lithium-ion risk in urban areas.

(Source: Oxford Economics / UL Solutions & FDNY Fire Incident Database)

This increase is not solely explained by the rise of micromobility. It primarily reflects the vulnerability of lithium-ion batteries, whose stability remains difficult to guarantee.

A minor impact, improper charging, or simply wear and tear can be enough to start a fire. Sometimes, the exact cause remains impossible to determine.

2 | An urban danger that is difficult to control

Fires involving lithium-ion batteries are unique in nature. When they ignite, they produce intense flames and can spread very rapidly to their immediate surroundings. In a dense city like New York (as well as Paris), this speed makes each incident potentially critical: a localized fire can, in a matter of moments, become a collective risk for the entire building.

These fires are unlike those fire departments have been dealing with for decades. They don't originate from an external flame, but from an internal thermal runaway: the battery heats up, releasing heat, gases, and flammable particles. Once the reaction begins, it is difficult to stop.

Conventional fire extinguishers or water jets can slow the combustion, but they do not neutralize the chemical cause inside the cells. Therefore, response teams prioritize controlling the spread and securing the perimeter, rather than immediate extinguishment.

This type of fire, which is fast, violent and unpredictable, requires a new level of vigilance in urban environments.

And it is precisely this specificity; the difficulty in controlling it once declared, that led New York to focus on the source of the problem: understanding and measuring the phenomenon before it becomes permanently established.

3 | Measure before you act: the New York advantage

New York's real strength was not in acting faster, but in quantifying earlier.

Starting in 2019, the FDNY Bureau of Fire Investigation began systematically documenting each fire: context, location, circumstances, consequences.

This work, consolidated with UL Solutions and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has enabled the creation of a shared database that now informs public decisions regarding fire prevention. Thanks to this approach, the city has an ongoing view of the risk: where, when, and how these fires ignite, and what factors contribute to them. It is this ability to interpret trends in the data that has allowed New York to develop a policy based on facts, not impressions.

In France, the situation is different. Only forensic scientists are authorized to officially determine the origin of a fire; firefighters, although first on the scene, do not have this legal authority. The data collected is neither public nor used for fire prevention purposes.

In practice, to understand the scale of the phenomenon, one must turn to the press: the only accessible figures come from news articles, where the “lithium” origin is often mentioned in the conditional tense.

To address this lack of transparency, Anod launched the carte.anod.com platform , an observatory that lists lithium-related fires in France from open sources.

4 | The decision: defuse before it spreads

Faced with the figures, the city hall, the FDNY and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) have developed an unprecedented plan.

On March 20, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams officially launched the program

Charge Safe, Ride Safe

A set of laws and initiatives aimed at containing the risk before it becomes permanently established.

4.1 – Inform and warn

The first response was that of visibility.

Starting in 2023, the city invested in a massive communication campaign led by the FDNY (budget of approximately $1 million). Available in ten languages and broadcast across the five boroughs, it uses posters, digital billboards, audio spots, and QR codes linking to fact sheets.

The objective is simple: to embed prevention in the public space.

Clear messages, displayed in the subway, on buses, and at public transport stops, remind people of the proper safety precautions to take (for example, never leave a battery charging unattended, or use a certified charger). The campaign is aimed at all residents, because every building, every apartment, can become the starting point of a fire.

All documentation and content created is available on the website of the Fire Department of the City of New York

4.2 – Shifting the risk: public charging infrastructure

The second pillar of the plan addresses the main source of danger: charging carried out in homes, often near living areas.

In 2024, the city launched the Safe Charging Accelerator project, a network of battery charging and swapping stations installed in public spaces : sidewalks, plazas, transportation hubs, and residential complexes. These stations are accessible to everyone: individuals, delivery drivers, and residents of densely populated neighborhoods. They allow users to drop off a battery in a secure compartment equipped with temperature and voltage sensors, which automatically cut off the power in case of a malfunction. Each station is monitored and powered by the grid or solar energy, depending on the location. This system is currently being deployed in more than 170 locations across the five major boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens).

4.3 – A clear legal framework

Finally, regulation has made it possible to structure prevention in a sustainable way.

Before 2023, the sale and use of lithium-ion batteries largely escaped the oversight of the authorities: lack of mandatory certification, limited control of points of sale, almost non-existent traceability.

The Local Laws 39 to 43 marked a turning point.

They now impose:

• certification standards (UL 2849, 2271, 2272) guaranteeing that batteries and charging systems meet precise electrical and thermal safety standards (overheating resistance, short-circuit prevention, component reliability);
• labelling and traceability obligations , allowing the origin and level of conformity of each battery to be identified in the event of an incident;
• and inspection and sanction powers for the DCWP and the FDNY, in order to remove questionable or uncertified products from the market.

These non-compliant batteries were not the cause of all the fires, but they contributed to worsening the frequency and severity of the incidents observed since 2019. Their gradual withdrawal from the market has reduced the proportion of the most violent fires, without eliminating the overall risk.

In one year, more than a thousand checks were carried out, resulting in 46 criminal summonses and 16 temporary closures of businesses.

Behind this regulatory arsenal, the objective remains unchanged: to prevent the spread of unstable products and to restore a minimum of confidence in a market that has become critical for urban mobility.

5 | Initial findings: a still significant but contained threat

The figures show a clear change in the situation.

According to the FDNY, the city recorded 277 lithium-ion battery fires in 2024, compared to 268 in 2023; the number of deaths dropped from 18 to 6, a decrease of approximately 67%. ( FDNY 2025 )

These data reflect a better control of the risk: fires are still numerous, but their severity is decreasing.

Some key trends:

• Fires - 277 in 2024, compared to 268 in 2023: a very sharp slowdown
• Deaths - 6 in 2024 , compared to 18 in 2023: a decrease of 67%.
• Nature of fires - 133 “non-structural” fires (outside of homes) compared to 90 in 2023: the guidelines for charging outside of homes are having an effect.

Beyond the numbers, the change is primarily qualitative: the majority of incidents are now contained before they spread, a sign that the FDNY's responsiveness and public infrastructure have been a game-changer. The plan has also cleaned up the local market: retailers are required to sell certified batteries and maintain a compliance register.

Reports from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) indicate a sharp decline in untraceable products.

Finally, the FDNY notes a change in behavior: more reports via 311, and more batteries deposited in official collection points; proof that education is beginning to take root in practices.

These developments do not mark the end of the problem, but a transformation of its nature: fires become less frequent in homes, better controlled in public spaces, and the chain of responsibility is organized.

6 | The New York model: a costly but necessary comprehensive solution

The strength of the New York model lies not in a single measure, but in a comprehensive strategy: continuously observing, informing, regulating, and adapting. Each action reinforces the next, forming a clear and coherent policy in the face of a diffuse risk.

7 | Conclusion: When technology becomes the first line of defense

New York has deployed considerable resources to curb the spread of lithium-ion battery fires: massive campaigns, tailored legislation, public infrastructure, and enhanced controls. These efforts have reduced the severity of incidents, but have not eliminated the risk and the possibility of fatal fires.

Reducing risk requires rethinking energy storage itself.

Our hybrid supercapacitors, incorporating S.A.F.E. (Safe And Fast Energy) technology, are designed to guarantee total stability, even in the event of shock, drop, short circuit, or overload. Subjected to a series of stress tests, this technology has demonstrated that it eliminates any risk of thermal runaway.

Following the same approach, we undertook to better document the phenomenon by compiling a list of fires linked to lithium-ion batteries in France. This work relies on available press articles, currently the only public source allowing us to assess the extent of the risk.

These initiatives reflect a shared conviction: to understand and innovate in order to better protect. It is the responsibility of all manufacturers to offer safe solutions capable of guaranteeing the safety of users and the environments in which they operate.

👉 View the security test results

👉 Explore the participatory fire map

👉 Discover the Anod system and S.A.F.E. technology