WASHINGTON — The International Association of Fire Fighters is warning that lithium-ion battery fires are rising sharply in homes across the United States and Canada, pointing to two New York City fires that killed 10 people in eight days.
The union, which represents firefighters, emergency medical workers and rescue workers in both countries, said Nov. 5 that it is pushing for stronger safety standards for the batteries that power e-bikes, scooters, phones, laptops, power tools and power banks.
“Lithium-ion battery fires burn intensely, last longer than most fires, and release toxic fumes, putting fire fighters and the public at risk,” IAFF General President Edward Kelly said.
According to the union, fire officials blamed an e-bike battery for an Oct. 28 fire in an apartment at the Patterson Houses in the Bronx that killed four members of one family. The e-bike sat near the apartment entrance and blocked the family’s safe way out, officials said. A lithium-ion battery was also found at the scene of a Nov. 5 house fire in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park that killed six people and injured seven, including three firefighters, though officials said the cause remains under investigation.
The IAFF cited Fire Department of New York figures showing lithium-ion batteries had caused 401 fires in the city in 2026 as of late October, up from 292 in all of 2025. Those fires had injured 74 people and killed six, the union said, reversing a decline that followed a 2023 city law barring the sale of e-bikes, scooters and batteries not certified to UL safety standards.
In the United States, the union is backing the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act, which would require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to set a mandatory safety rule for batteries in e-bikes, e-scooters and similar devices. The House passed the bill in April 2025, and the Senate version awaits a floor vote, the IAFF said. The commission separately proposed a mandatory standard for micromobility batteries in June and must decide whether to issue a final rule.
In Canada, the union is calling for a national battery fire safety initiative that would include a mandatory database to track every such fire, research on firefighter exposures and updated building and product codes.
“Our job is dangerous and the risks are constantly evolving. Policy hasn’t kept pace. The gaps are clear, but so are the solutions,” Kelly said.
The IAFF urged consumers to buy batteries certified by a recognized testing lab, use the charger that came with a device, avoid charging overnight or on beds and couches, keep e-bikes and scooters away from doors and exits, and never throw lithium-ion batteries in the trash or regular recycling. If a battery overheats or catches fire, the union advised getting everyone out, closing the door and calling 911 from outside.
This report is based on information from the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Source: International Association of Fire Fighters
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