Lithium Ion E-Bike Batteries Explode in Chelsea Truck Fire
A truck full of E-bikes caught on fire June 5. An FDNY hazmat unit arrived on-scene and successfully put out flames.
| 07 Jul 2026 | 02:21
FDNY responded to a call about a truck fire in Chelsea at 3:11 p.m. on July 5 and discovered e-bikes with lithium ion batteries had erupted. (
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A potentially dangerous fire on a Chelsea street corner was extinguished by FDNY when lithium ion batteries on e-bikes that were being transported in the hold of a cargo truck exploded.
The unoccupied truck was parked on 264 West 23 St. between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue in Chelsea on July 5.
FDNY received the call at 3:11 p.m. and since the lithium ion batteries can be hazardous, hazmat units responded. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries. Fire marshals have been notified and are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.
FDNY said it cannot release the names of people involved in any operation.
Satish Shahi, a roving photographer for Straus News, captured photographs of the incident and shared them above.
There are strict standards governing the sale and use of lithium ion batteries in New York City. Since September 16th, 2023, all battery-powered mobility devices, like electric bicycles, electric scooters, and the lithium-ion batteries these devices use, that are sold, leased, or rented in New York City are required to be certified by an accredited testing laboratory in compliance with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standards.
Raging fires from defective lithium batteries caused 18 deaths across the city in 2023, including eight in Manhattan. The number of deaths has fallen as the city took measures to enforce to new stricter standards.
FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said there was only one death caused by a lithium ion battery in 2025 when a July 4 fire from an e-bike battery broke out at a pizzeria in Queens, trapping a 76-year-old woman in a bathroom. The previous year there were six deaths attributed to the explosive batteries.
The FDNY, in a public service released last year said the batteries continue to pose a threat and reminded New Yorkers to charge and store lithium-ion batteries and micromobility devices wherever outside whenever possible. Safety information is available at FDNYSmart.org.
The FDNY did not release any further information on whether the exploding batteries in the back of the cargo truck were UL approved or not but said fire marshals are continuing the investigation. The cargo truck containing the bikes appeared to be a total loss.