NYC sees a 70% increase in lithium-ion battery fires in 2026 – an unprecedented and dangerous record, FDNY says

FDNY officials are imploring the public to store lithium-ion batteries outside as the number of fires sparked by the devices continues to grow.

The plea came from FDNY First Deputy Commissioner Daniel Flynn and Chief Fire Marshal Michael Kavanagh, who charged during a July 22 press conference that 2026 has seen more fires caused by lithium-ion batteries than any year before during the same period.

“So far this year, the FDNY has investigated 235 lithium-ion battery fires. That is compared to 138 at the same time last year, an increase of more than 70%,” Kavanagh said. “The biggest change is where we’re seeing these fires happening through this point last year, we had 48 non-structural lithium-ion battery fires. This year, we’ve already had 137, nearly three times as many.”

While the number of fires is alarming, officials say that they believe their warnings are being heeded by the public since people are storing the batteries outside and not inside, where they can cause the most harm.

The number of those who were either killed or seriously injured in battery-related fires are also on a downward trend. There were 18 fire fatalities in 2023 related to the deadly devices. That dropped to six in 2024, before falling to one last year. 

FDNY First Deputy Commissioner Daniel Flynn (right) and Chief Fire Marshal Michael Kavanagh,Photo by Dean Moses

Still, 2026 has not been without its tragedies.

On June 26, a battery powering a micro mobility device burst into flames inside a Queens basement located at 172-12 91st Ave.. The device was charging in the kitchen and prevented the residents from escaping through the door, prompting a 48-year-old man to escape through a bedroom window.

“The fire was classified as fatal on July 18, when one victim succumbed to the injuries sustained in the fire. This is the first fire-related death in 2026 attributed to lithium-ion batteries. We want to remind New Yorkers that lithium-ion batteries are still a cause for concern,” Commissioner Flynn said. 

Flynn also told amNewYork that he believes many of these fires are the result of lithium-ion batteries nearing the end of their life, cautioning New Yorkers to be wary of any faults they may notice.

“Devices that have lithium-ion batteries in them eventually fail to work properly, and I think we’re probably getting to that point where the surge of lithium-ion battery ownership has caused these batteries now to reach the end of life. So, we want to make sure that everybody just monitors what they look like, what they smell like, if they’re leaking, get rid of them,” Flynn added.

“Other signs are if it’s getting very hot when you’re charging it, you want to make sure you touch it and see the feel of it. If it’s too hot, you probably need to replace it. If it’s not charging properly, if you’re not getting much of a charge out of it, it’s probably close to the end of life,” the first deputy commissioner noted.