Hoverboards Recalled for Fire and Explosion Hazards
Hoverboards Recalled for Fire and Explosion Hazards
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a product defect recall for thousands of hoverboards for fire and explosion risks. According to a USA Today news report, the series of recall affects about 16,000 hoverboards from brands such as iHoverspeed, Sonic Smart Wheels, Tech Drift, iLive, Go Wheels, Drone Nerds, LayZ Board and Smart Balance Wheel. All these brands of hoverboards have the same problem. They are all powered by lithium-ion batteries that could potentially overheat and cause a fire or explosion.
CPSC is advising owners to stop using these hoverboards immediately and return them to the companies for a replacement. In a released statement, CPSC urged those who own the LayZ Board self-balancing hoverboards to stop using them after the products were implicated in a fire that destroyed one home and seriously damaged four others.
Hoverboard Accidents and Injuries
In May, the agency issued a safety alert about this particular brand when a house fire in Pennsylvania in March killed two girls. Hoverboards became popular gifts during the holidays since 2015, but have been plagued with issues of overheating batteries that have led to fires and explosions. CPSC has said it is aware of more than 250 hoverboard-related incidents involving overheating or fires since 2015.
The agency also estimates that there have been 13 burn injuries, three smoke inhalation injuries and more than $4 million in property damage that can be linked to defective hoverboards. These products are required to be compliant with the UL2272 safety standard. However, even such compliance cannot guarantee that a hoverboard will not overheat or catch on fire.
Safety Tips
Our product defect lawyers would advise anyone looking to buy a hoverboard as a gift this holiday season to look for another, safer gift. However, if you do already have one of these products at home, there are several steps you could take to avert a mishap:
- Stay on top of recalls. Go to cpsc.gov to see if the hoverboard you own has been recalled. Never continue using a recalled product. Stop using it right away and contact the manufacturer to find out what you should do next.
- Charge a hoverboard only when you are there to watch it.
- Make sure the smoke alarms are working on every level of your home, including outside sleeping areas and inside each bedroom.
Report incidents involving hoverboard fires, overheating and explosions to CPSC. If you have been injured or have lost a loved one in such a fire or explosion involving a hoverboard, contact an experienced product defect attorney to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.
