'Over the last five years, there have been over 120 fires in the city caused by illegally certified lithium-ion batteries that are prone to catch fire,' says San Francisco District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who introduced new legislation that would ban the purchase or sale of lithium-ion batteries without the UL certification mark.
San Francisco is considering a new crackdown on something you probably have in your home. Destructive fires like the one in the Tenderloin last December now have the city weighing a battery ban. Firefighters could fine people for buying or selling uncertified batteries.
Anne Marie Van Buren watched as her fire-damaged furniture was smashed with a sledgehammer and hauled away.Investigators believe the fire was sparked by the lithium-ion battery of a charging scooter. This incident is one in a string of dangerous fires across the Bay Area, some of them fatal, that have been sparked by lithium-ion batteries."These fires tend to explode, have a quick explosion, and then rapid increase in smoke," said Lt. Mariano Elias of the San Francisco Fire Department. On Tuesday, District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood introduced legislation that would ban the purchase or sale of lithium-ion batteries without a UL certification mark. "Over the last five years, there have been over 120 fires in the city caused by illegally certified lithium-ion batteries that are prone to catch fire," Mahmood said.It is unclear whether the battery involved in Van Buren's fire was UL certified. Van Buren said she supports stricter rules. "I would see, you know, scooters roll in and think, 'Oh okay, I hope that's okay,' but turned out it wasn't," she said. "3:15 a.m., we were all on the sidewalk. It's a city issue when it comes to the cost of fighting the fires, the cost of helping people who have been displaced. It's a big deal." Fire officials advise residents not to charge scooter or e-bike batteries while sleeping or away from home, and to unplug them once fully charged. Mahmood said the proposal would allow the fire chief to issue fines of up to $1,000 per violation and give the city attorney authority to pursue enforcement actions. "Our laws need to catch up with our technology, and this is the first step to do so," Mahmood said.Man's death from battling e-bike lithium-ion battery fire prompts warning from San Jose Fire Dept.Ex-FedEx driver pleads guilty to killing girl after making deliverySF's SoMa residents file complaint with state of CA: Here's why
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