Firefighter injured as blaze rips through Richmond Hill e-bike shop for the second time this year.

New York City accidents. All New York City car accidents in one source.

Facebook - Accident.biz; Instagram - accident.biz; X(Twitter) Accident.biz  - https://x.com/AccidentBiz 


A fire destroyed part of an e-bike shop in Richmond Hill early Thursday morning, forcing residents living above the store to evacuate in the middle of the night, ABC news informs
 

The blaze erupted at Kings Electric Scooters on Jamaica Avenue around 2:30 a.m. The fire reportedly started in a garage area where the bikes were stored. Over two dozen electric and gas-powered bikes were removed from the shop during the response.
 

This isn't the first time the shop has caught fire; the store also went up in flames in March. "It was the second time that this garage caught on fire. The first time was a few months ago," a resident said. "The first was definitely worse, but this one isn't good either."

One firefighter sustained a minor injury and was taken to Jamaica Hospital.
 

After the first fire in March, the city issued a vacate order for the building’s back garage, which remains in effect. This order prohibited any activity in that section of the building.

 

FDNY officials explained that crews had to isolate the e-bikes once they were removed and carefully take out all the batteries, placing them in metal barrels to prevent explosions. Deputy Fire Chief George Healy emphasized the importance of safe e-bike use, advising against charging them during sleeping hours or near exits and stressing the need to use certified products.

During the inspection following Thursday's fire, officials discovered another issue: the building's cellar had been illegally converted into two apartments. As a result, violations for illegal construction and conversion work were issued.
 

So far this year, there have been 162 e-battery fires in the city, on track to match last year's numbers. However, there has been a notable decrease in injuries and fatalities related to these incidents.

New York City fire accidents.