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Lithium-Ion Battery Fire in Garage
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July 8, 2024

Location: Weeks Ct (Preserves Complex)

Date/Time: Monday July 8th, 2024 at 8:52 pm

Description: Somers Fire was dispatched to a reported structure fire shortly before 9pm on Monday, July 8th, 2024. Additional information from the 60-Control dispatcher relayed the caller was reporting a “scooter on fire in the garage.” Car 2443 (Assistant Chief Meeker) arrived on scene within minutes to find a scooter on fire in the garage. The residence was evacuated, and the scooter was removed to the driveway, away from the residence. Upon the arrival of Engine 188, one line was stretched to the e-bike in the driveway and members began cooling the lithium-ion batteries. Simultaneously, the crew from Ladder 48 checked the interior of the residence for fire extension. There was a moderate smoke condition on the first floor and a light smoke condition on the second floor. The residence was ventilated of smoke and metered using gas detectors. As the fire involved highly volatile lithium-ion batteries, the Westchester County DES Hazardous Materials Team was requested to the scene to assist. Prior to the arrival of the Haz-Mat team the scooter was investigated and secured by a SVFD Hazardous Materials Technician. Upon the arrival of the Haz-Mat team the scooter and lithium-ion batteries were examined further to ensure they were cooling and safe. Members of the Haz-Mat team packaged the scooter/batteries in Cellblock and placed it inside a metal drum for safe transportation to the hazardous waste dump.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation but based on by-stander reports and investigations by both the Westchester County Cause & Origin Team and Hazardous Material Team members a preliminary cause was determined. It is believed that the charger for the E-Scooter overheated, this heating caused the lithium-ion battery packs inside the scooter to heat up and start off-gassing. Lithium-Ion batteries off-gas very dangerous smoke/fumes containing many different toxic and flammable chemicals including hydrogen. It is believed that the off-gassing hydrogen filled the garage and when the gas mixture in the atmosphere reached the lower explosive limit and found an ignition source it flashed in the garage. The force of this flash fire created a percussion effect that broke glass windows and blew the garage doors off their tracks and a small fire.
Somers EMS was requested to the scene to evaluate a resident who was exposed to the extremely toxic smoke in the garage from the lithium-ion battery fire. Somers VFD and the Haz-Mat Team operated for approximately two and a half hours before returning to service.

Units: Car 2441 (IC), 2443, 2444, 2445, 2446 Engine 188, Engine 186 Ladder 48 Somers EMS
 
Mutual Aid: Westchester EMS 45-Medic WCDES Battalion 13 WCDES Car 4 WCDES Hazardous Materials Response Team
 
 

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2024 Incidents
FIRE EMS
JAN 49 195
FEB 50 159
MAR 39 189
APR 61 189
MAY 57 210
JUN 120 220
JUL 57 182
AUG 79 191
SEP 54 166
OCT 64 215
NOV 86 223
DEC
Total 716 2139

2023 Incidents
Fire EMS
JAN 57 190
FEB 54 152
MAR 43 156
APR 46 192
MAY 61 183
JUN 61 172
JUL 76 220
AUG 45 192
SEP 59 190
OCT 72 225
NOV 49 193
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Total 685 2255

2022 incidents
Fire EMS
JAN 54 180
FEB 41 139
MAR 50 149
APR 52 170
MAY 58 207
JUN 55 199
JUL 66 186
AUG 51 184
SEP 59 209
OCT 60 208
NOV 62 195
DEC 79 219
Total 687 2245

2021 Incidents
Fire EMS
JAN 35 201
FEB 41 179
MAR 65 160
APR 42 169
MAY 52 162
JUN 70 192
JUL 96 176
AUG 55 192
SEP 76 161
OCT 54 172
NOV 49 167
DEC 57 220
Total 692 2151

2020 Incidents
Fire EMS
JAN 44 167
FEB 51 148
MAR 40 159
APR 58 162
MAY 48 140
JUN 64 133
JUL 56 168
AUG 173 169
SEP 60 140
OCT 45 162
NOV 54 134
DEC 62 179
Total 755 1861

2019 Incidents
Month Fire EMS
Jan 47 172
Feb 48 150
Mar 48 177
Apr 43 173
May 41 183
Jun 49 158
Jul 64 153
Aug 43 152
Sep 42 175
Oct 50 145
Nov 53 136
Dec 48 221
Total 576 1995

2018 Incidents
Fire EMS
Jan 58 152
Feb 47 153
Mar 177 178
Apr 38 143
May 71 174
Jun 59 172
Jul 62 159
Aug 68 177
Sep 39 178
Oct 52 160
Nov 46 172
Dec 49 169
Total 766 1987

2017 Incidents
Fire EMS
Jan 44 152
Feb 40 140
Mar 39 138
Apr 50 151
May 49 144
Jun 53 119
Jul 62 131
Aug 50 129
Sep 49 158
Oct 57 137
Nov 58 159
Dec 47 178
Total 598 1736

2016 Incidents
Fire EMS
Jan 53 118
Feb 64 126
Mar 30 146
Apr 45 120
May 50 112
Jun 54 142
Jul 49 132
Aug 60 137
Sep 37 160
Oct 55 161
Nov 47 131
Dec 38 154
Total 582 1639

2015 Incidents
Fire EMS
Jan 39 136
Feb 52 149
Mar 50 160
Apr 40 100
May 59 145
Jun 45 116
Jul 57 166
Aug 39 140
Sep 34 151
Oct 44 140
Nov 30 125
Dec 53 160
Total 542 1688

2014 Incidents
Fire EMS
Jan 40 124
Feb 32 121
Mar 40 110
Apr 39 118
May 46 155
Jun 28 147
Jul 54 146
Aug 44 136
Sep 47 139
Oct 48 135
Nov 56 108
Dec 45 143
Total 519 1582

Older Incidents
Fire EMS
2013 472 1588
2012 628 1613
2011 708 1654
2010 525 1562
2009 468 1474
2008 493 1385
2007 519 1339
2006 478 1195
2005 569 1160
2004 533 979
2003 730 706
2002 959 397
Total 7082 15052
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