"FDNY Shuts Down Illegal Lithium-Ion Battery Factory in Queens"

A Queens scooter shop in NYC was busted for illegally making highly-flammable "Frankenstein batteries," leading to the confiscation of battery packs, lithium-ion cells, and scooters. The shop owner claimed to have sourced everything from China, but fire officials stressed the dangers of unregulated and tampered batteries, linking them to recent fires in the city. Despite the owner's denial, violations were issued, and the fire commissioner emphasized the potential dangers posed by lithium-ion batteries, citing a recent fire in Brooklyn caused by such a battery.