"18 kids injured, 1 critically, in fire sparked by lithium-ion battery at NYC daycare"
I came across this article today and it made me wonder... what has changed with lithium?! I know that there has been a huge increase in demand for lithium batteries due to new devices and more consumers. However, lithium batteries are not something particularly new. Do you think the demand for these batteries has exhausted the manufacturing process leaving us with less refined lithium or lessened quality control? I would love to here your thoughts on this. Everyone's perspective provides a unique point of view on the topic.
Article Link -"18 kids injured, 1 critically, in fire sparked by lithium-ion battery at NYC daycare" - Rescue1.com
"By Emma Seiwell, Thomas Tracy and Elizabeth Keogh
New York Daily News
NEW YORK — Eighteen children were injured Wednesday in a fire that was sparked by a lithium-ion battery at a Queens daycare, officials said.
The blaze broke out in the basement of the two-story house in Kew Gardens Hills around 2:05 p.m., according to the FDNY.
“It was a lot of smoke coming out all of the windows,” said neighbor Adina Land
The first floor of the house is a daycare facility, police said.
“Companies arrived and found heavy fire in the basement,” said FDNY Chief of Operations John Esposito.
Firefighters removed 18 children from the house, where one was critically injured. The others suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.
One of the injured children was rescued from the basement, the FDNY said.
A woman who lives on the block said a neighbor took in the children as they waited for their parents to arrive.
“There were firemen, paramedics all over the place and the kids were already out,” said the woman. “I’m sure some of them were scared.”The fire was placed under control around 2:45 p.m., according to officials.
City officials were investigating whether the day-care facility was unlicensed, said a law enforcement source. Neighbors said they hadn’t known the location to be a daycare.
On Friday in the same borough, a man was killed and 10 others were hospitalized when a charging e-bike sparked a fire.
The blaze was the first fatal fire of the year attributed to the batteries used in e-bikes and electric scooters. Last year, six people died in fires caused by the batteries.
Esposito told reporters Wednesday the fire department encourages lithium-ion battery users ensure their products meet industry safety standards.
“They should not be charged in the entrance way or pathway to leave your apartment and you should not charge them overnight,” the chief cautioned. “The best might be to charge them in a room with a closed door while you’re awake and alert and at home.”
©2023 New York Daily News.
Visit at nydailynews.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service"