Queens is burning again: Lithium-ion is more lit than ever

 

AMNY 

Firefighters in Queens battled a two-alarm fire at a pair of commercial buildings early on Sunday morning where more than a dozen drums of highly flammable chemicals had been stored.

FDNY sources said the blaze broke out at about 12:56 a.m. on Aug. 25 inside 133-02 101st Ave. in South Richmond Hill, the location of an auto body shop, a tattoo parlor and a barber shop.

Members of Engine Company 302 and Ladder Company 126 first arrived on the scene to find heavy smoke and fire emanating from the basement. Firefighters worked quickly to break a hole through a floor to enter the basement and fight the flames

 More than 100 firefighters were called to the scene. They deployed four hose lines to knock down the main body of fire. Both buildings were searched for possible victims, but none were found. One firefighter suffered a minor injury and was treated.

 

 QNS

Exploding lithium-ion batteries are suspected to be the cause of a two-alarm fire that tore through a Richmond Hill bike shop Monday, March 13.

The fire broke out at the rear of The Kings Electric Scooter shop at 102-44 Jamaica Ave. just after 2:30 p.m., and firefighters quickly removed one electric scooter that had caught fire.

 The flames spread to a second-story apartment but all occupants had been evacuated, according to the FDNY. The fire went to a second alarm at 2:49 p.m. bringing 108 firefighters and 25 units to the scene.

Between 85 to 100 e-bikes, scooters, and motorcycles were removed from the shop that had signs of fire damage. Firefighters were still trying to remove 20 or more e-bikes and scooters from the cellar.

 A Hazmat unit arrived on the scene and was removing lithium-ion batteries from the vehicles. The fire was brought under control just at 3:29 p.m. and fire marshals will determine the cause of the blaze.

Correction: It was a garage unit around the corner of the shop on 87th avenue that they owned. I left a photo of former FDNY commissioner Laura Kavanagh there since she's responsible for undermining the threat of lithium ion battery cartridges during her 2 year reign of error and DEI influenced malfeasance.

 

 

 

Auto body shops and used car dealers are annexing sidewalk space

  

Queens Chronicle

Councilman Francisco Moya (D-Corona) helped crack down on “curbstoning” when he was in the Assembly five years ago, with tougher penalties for unlicensed car dealing.

But curbstoning, when a dealer poses as a private seller to sell a car parked on the street, is still common in Corona.

“In some of these streets the residents were saying it was like a used car lot on a public street,” said Capt. Jonathan Cermeli, commanding officer of the 110th Precinct.

Moya wants it seen as a top priority.

“I’m always disappointed when I see that the quality-of-life issues that happen in my community don’t happen in more of the affluent areas,” he said, adding that the precinct has been extremely responsive.

Parking spots are being taken up on residential blocks by auto body shops, mechanic shops and secondhand used car dealers.

“We noticed a spike in vehicles being put in parking spots all over residential neighborhoods in Corona with ‘for sale’ signs on them,” Cermeli said Monday.

The commander said it’s hard to determine if the business owner or employees are usually responsible for curbstoning. He believes a lot of people trying to sell their vehicles now may have been in an accident or don’t have the money to maintain it.

The owner of an auto body shop on 47th Avenue was given a ticket in late October, according to Moya’s office. Reached Wednesday by the Queens Chronicle, someone who picked up the phone after the owner was requested said he had not gotten a ticket and that the boss was not there, before hanging up.

To sell more than five vehicles per year in New York, a dealer’s license is needed.

“Most of these folks don’t have that,” Moya said.

Jamaica auto body shop using three streets for vehicle storage and are getting away with it

Auto Body has over 30 cars on 150th street, 97th ave, 149 street. Jamaica NY

No registration,  no inspection over 1 month.   

Cops come and give tickets to the local residents.