>> WELCOME BACK TO "GMA3". ANOTHER APARTMENT FIRE IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE BRONX OVER THE WEEKEND, CLAIMING A MAN'S LIFE. THE REASON FOR THAT FIRE? A LITHIUM-ION BATTERY. THE BATTERY IS IN POPULAR ITEMS LIKE E-BIKES AND EE-SCOOTERS, BLAMED FOR OVER 200 FIRES IN THE CITY LAST YEAR AND MORE THAN 30 JUST THIS YEAR. >> THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS, GOOD TO SEE YOU. WE'VE HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THE DANGERS AND HOW TO KEEP NEW YORK SAFE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL THREAT, A POSSIBLE INDICTMENT AWAITING FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. SHOULD NEW YORKERS BE CONCERNED IN WHAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE TO KEEP NEW YORKERS SAFE? >> FIRST OF ALL, TO USE THOSE TYPE OF COMMENTS, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS GOING TO DO HIS JOB, NYPD WILL DO THEIR JOB AND THERE IS ONE THING WE KNOW ABOUT THE CITY, ANY TIME THERE ARE OR CONCERNS, THEY DEPLOY THE RIGHT PERSONNEL. I HAVE THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE FOR THEM TO DO THAT. >> ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO SHUT DOWN LOWER MANHATTAN? >> YOU READ MY MIND. THERE'S A LOT OF SPECULATION OF THE NYPD, THEY HAVE DEPLOYMENT PLANS UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. THESE GUYS DO TABLETOPS COME, MOBILIZATION PLANS, THEY ARE PREPARED. THEY ARE THE BEST AT DOING WHATEVER SCENARIO, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING, THERE'S A LOT OF SPECULATION, LET THE D.A. DO THEIR JOB. WE WILL BE READY TO DO OURS. >> THERE'S BEEN MORE THAN 30 FIRES CAUSED AS A RESULT OF LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES. WHAT IS THE CITY DOING TO FIX THIS AND PREVENT THESE FIRES? >> YOU CAN SEE THE TREND IN NUMBERS. BACK IN 2020, WE HAD 44. IN 2022, WE HAD 220. THE NUMBERS ARE INCREASING. IT IS NOT ONLY ON A LOCAL LEVEL BUT NATIONAL ISSUE. I HAVE TO TAKE MY HAT OFF TO COMMISSIONER CAVANAUGH, THERE WAS A VIDEO THAT ACTUALLY SHOWED WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ONE OF THESE BATTERIES IGNITE. IT'S AN EXPLOSION. NORMALLY WHEN PEOPLE BRING HOME THEIR BATTERIES, THEIR BIKES, TRANSPORTATION, THEY LEAVE THEM BY THE DOOR. THESE FIRES EXPLODE AND BLOCK YOUR EXIT. IF YOU ARE AND PUBLIC HOUSING, YOU LEAVE IT IN THE HALLWAY. WE HAVE THREE LEVELS OF APPROACH. NUMBER ONE, AN INCREASED LEVEL OF ENFORCEMENT TO MAKE SURE THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY CHARGING THESE BATTERIES ILLEGALLY AND IN DANGER, WE WILL HANDLE IT WITH A FORM OF CITATION. WE WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO EXCHANGE THE BATTERIES. THOSE ILLEGAL BATTERIES. THEY SHOULD HAVE THE UL CODE AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE REAL, LEGITIMATE BATTERIES. THOSE THAT ARE GETTING THOSE DELIVERIES, THEY USE THE MOPEDS, SCOOTERS, THOSE OTHER ITEMS, WE WANT TO APPROACH THIS ON THREE LEVELS. AND LASTLY, GET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON BOARD. >> WHERE SHOULD YOU STORE IT? >> NOT NEAR YOUR DOOR. DO IT OUTDOORS BREAD WHEN YOU PLUG IT UP TO CHARGE IT, PLUG IT UP IN A WALL, NOT THOSE LITTLE STRIP DEVICES PEOPLE USE. SOMETIMES MULTIPLE ITEMS. >> EXTENSION CORDS. >> EXACTLY. DO NOT CHARGE OVERNIGHT. PEOPLE CHARGE, GO TO SLEEP, THEY LEAVE IT OVERNIGHT. DO NOT CHARGE OVERNIGHT. THERE IS ONE VIDEO I SAW OF A FIRE IN THE BRONX. THE CAMERA WAS ON IT. IT WAS JUST CHILLING. THE GENTLEMAN LOCKED UP THE BIKE, SAW THAT IT WAS STARTING TO BURN. HE WENT TO GET WATER. ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT WAS AN ENTIRE EXPLOSION. FORTUNATE FOR HIM, HE GOT OUT.