HOVERBOARDS ARE EXPLODING, CAUSING FIRES

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By Miriam Raftery

December 8, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Hoverboards are hot gift items this season—in more ways than one. The National Association of Fire Marshals has issued a warning about fire dangers after numerous hoverboards, or electronic scooters without handles, burst into flames in the U.S. and abroad.

In Britain, inspectors checked 17,000 hoverboards and found 88 percent of them had an increased risk of exploding, overheating or catching fire due to faulty plugs.  The British government seized 15,000 of the devices.

A member of the National Association of State Fire Marshals, H. Butch Browning Jr. says “The sheer number of incidents occurring around the country and abroad is what prompted our organization to address this serious issue on a national level.”

The Fire Marshals are urging consumers to be sure any hoverboard scooter purchased has an Underwriters Laboratory (UL) label, which means it has been reviewed by the global safety agency.  Purchase only from reputable retailers offering warranties.

Don’t purchase cheap knock-off products, many of them made by criminals, and use only the manufacturer’s recommended charger.

Even then, don’t leave the hoverboard unattended while charging or fall asleep while it’s plugged in.

Most of the hoverboards with problems exploded into flames while being recharged. But some blew up while while people were riding on them.

In Louisiana, a young teen’s Hoverboard exploded a burned down his family’s home.

 


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