The FDNY dispatched 12 units that filled the block between Van Dam Street and Starr Avenue, bringing 60 firefighters and EMS personnel to the scene, along with a tower ladder and FDNY marine units. Photo courtesy of the FDNY.
Aug. 30, 2024 By Bill Parry
The massive barge blaze that raged for hours on Newtown Creek in the Blissville section of Long Island City Tuesday night was sparked by an exploding lithium-ion battery that was among the scrap metal onboard the vessel, new FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker confirmed Thursday.
During a press briefing with his chiefs at the FDNY headquarters at MetroTech Center in Brooklyn, Tucker discussed the fire that broke out at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night on the barge that was tied up alongside the Sims Metal recycling facility, located at 31-26 Greenpoint Ave.
FDNY fire marshals determined a lithium-ion battery sparked the stubborn barge blaze on Newtown Creek in Long Island City Tuesday night. Photo courtesy of the FDNY.
Improper disposal of these batteries pose an imminent threat to the public and city workers, including sanitation workers and FDNY firefighters. “As your Fire Commissioner, my top priority is to keep the people of New York safe and our members safe,” Tucker said. “We need the public’s help.”
FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker announced that the barge fire on Newtown Creek in Long Island City Tuesday night was caused by a lithium-ion battery during a briefing on Thursday. Photo courtesy of the FDNY.
FDNY Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn said his inspector found lithium-ion batteries among the huge piles of blackened metal after the fire was brought under control just after 2 a.m. Wednesday.
Photo courtesy of the FDNY.
“Our fire marshal determined that the barge fire began when one of these batteries caught fire and extended to barge contents, walls and the floor,” Flynn said. “The barge fire took more than four hours to extinguish, and toxic smoke spread through the surrounding neighborhoods as we worked to contain it.”
Photo courtesy of the FDNY.
Flynn urged the public to learn how to dispose of these lithium-ion batteries properly. “During our investigation, we spoke with supervisors and workers at the scrapyard who reported that lithium-ion batteries are often found and collected for disposal,” Flynn said. “They reported that these batteries spontaneously ignite sometimes. This is why we need people to safely dispose [of] these batteries. We’ve seen an increase in fires on Sanitation trucks as well.”
He added that an exploding lithium-ion battery also caused a four-alarm fire in the Ocean Hill section of Brooklyn on Monday night that injured six firefighters and three civilians.
“These two operations were extremely taxing on our units and to the residents, not to mention the surrounding communities,” Flynn said. “We are extremely concerned about the damage these fires continue to cause and the danger to the public and our members. These batteries can be dangerous and unpredictable.”
Commissioner Tucker noted that so far this year, lithium-ion batteries have caused 171 fires citywide, leaving 59 injured and three fatalities.
“This issue is not going away. We know micro-mobility devices are here to stay and are a big part of our future,” Tucker said. “By combining education, regulation, training and advocacy, we’re taking steps to protect our city and ensure the safety of all New Yorkers.”
He explained that data collected in 2023 showed that nearly 60% of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries were caused by batteries that were not even charging.
“This data is important in recognizing that it is not only batteries being charged that pose a threat, but those that are not being charged,” Tucker said. “The misuse or overuse of a battery can lead to a fire. For this reason, we encourage New Yorkers to follow manufacturer guidelines for their devices and [do] not purchase illegal aftermarket batteries.”
For safety information on lithium-ion batteries, go to nyc.gov/fdny/batteries.
