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E-bikes - available to rent here - are popular in New York City
Photo: CARLO ALLEGRI/ REUTERS
E-bikes and e-scooters are also very popular in New York City.
But the lithium-ion batteries that power the vehicles pose a fire hazard. This year alone, they've started 22 fires in America's largest city, injuring 36 people and killing two.
According to the authorities, this is four times as many battery fires as at the same time last year.
Fire Chief Laura Kavanagh said Mayor Eric Adams' administration is "taking a good look at this issue."
They are working with the city council and the Federal Commission for Product Safety on additional regulations for the batteries.
The population should also be informed about their proper use and storage.
"These are incredibly dangerous devices and we need to make sure people handle them properly and use them safely," Kavanagh said at a public safety briefing.
Many of the fires thought to be battery-related were caused by faulty devices being charged overnight.
Placed in a hallway or near a door, they can trap people in a burning home.
Authorities said three children and one adult were injured in a fire this month when a charging battery ignited a fire in their Manhattan apartment last night.
The fire chief said when the battery overheated and caught fire, "the fire blocked the exit from the home and the family was trapped."
jso/AP