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2w ago

E-Bike Battery Explosion in Queens Pizzeria Kills 76-Year-Old Woman

It marks the city’s first battery-related fatality of 2025 as FDNY steps up its “Take It Outside” campaign, pressing lawmakers to ban uncertified devices.

The scene inside a Queen’s pizzeria where an lithium ion battery sparked a fire that claimed the life of a 76-year-old woman. (FDNY)
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Overview

  • A lithium-ion battery on an e-bike exploded inside Singas Famous Pizza in Flushing on July 4, trapping the customer in the bathroom and causing her death.
  • FDNY Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn said the device’s flames blocked the exit, and the victim was overcome by smoke before firefighters could pull her to safety.
  • FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker reported the department has responded to 122 battery-related fires so far in 2025, a pace slightly ahead of last year.
  • Fire officials launched the “Take It Outside” public service announcement in April to urge UL-certified batteries and charging e-mobility devices outdoors.
  • The department is increasing inspections at e-bike shops and lobbying city lawmakers to outlaw uncertified lithium-ion batteries to curb future blazes.