FDNY: E-bikes to blame for building fire in Bensonhurst
News 12’s Nadia Galindo is on the scene with the latest.
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FDNY officials said two e-bikes sparked a fire inside a Bensonhurst building Wednesday morning
They said the call came in at 9:56 a.m. at 1801 Bay Ridge Ave.
Officials said the fire started in a third-floor apartment in the building, and it took crews about an hour to get it under control.
A neighbor, who didn't want to give his last name, described the chaotic scene that unfolded.
"They had the hose up there and uh scary stuff," Jonathan said. "I was happy to hear my neighbors are ok because they are nice people."
The damage extends beyond burned belongings. Water was seen pouring down the staircase inside the building and Pierre's Jewelry store, which is on the first floor of the building is left with significant water damage.
"We are going to be closed now we don't know for how long," said Camille Thomas, of Pierre's Jewelry. "We've been slow already so on top of that, it's piling up."
According to the FDNY, fires and fire deaths caused by storage batteries for e-bikes and powered mobility devices have significantly increased in recent years.
It has proposed new rules to ban the storage and charging of uncertified lithium-ion batteries and enforce penalties against those violating the rule.
A public hearing on the matter is scheduled for Oct. 1.
