Toddler Killed in Fire Sparked by Charging Hoverboard

Three-year-old Ashanti Hughes died in a home fire in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which officials said, was sparked by a hoverboard that was charging. According to news reports, the fatal fire was traced to a hoverboard that caught fire while it was plugged into an electric socket on the three-story home’s first floor. Fire officials said the family heard “sizzling and crackling” and the hoverboard exploded shortly afterward. Ashanti died in a hospital from her injuries. Two other girls remained in critical condition. Hughes’s father and a male teenager were treated for inhaling smoke and have been released from the hospital. This is the first known fatal fire linked to defective hoverboards.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family members of this young child for their tragic loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Exploding Hoverboards

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) the agency has so far investigated 60 cases of hoverboard fires just in the last year and a half. The investigation into this tragic fire is ongoing. The scooters were the hottest items on most people’s 2015 Christmas list. However, reports of exploding and self-igniting hoverboards soon made headlines. The devices use lithium-ion batteries as power sources. These batteries can explode if the battery is damaged or defective.

Ying Jiawei, CEO of Chic, one of the first companies to sell hoverboards in Asia admitted to Fortune last year that Chinese factories were cutting corners with the hoverboards by putting cheaper batteries in them. By mid-2016 CPSC warned consumers to stop using hoverboards made by certain manufacturers. Also, hoverboard seller Swagway, recalled 500,000 of the boards because of the fire risk. Major airlines also banned the boards last year because of the fire hazard posed by these boards

Justice for Victims

If you have been injured or if you have lost a loved one as the result of these defective hoverboards, please remember that you do have legal rights. If you have been injured, you may be able to file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the hoverboard seeking compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Families that have lost loved ones can seek compensation for medical expenses and funeral costs, lost future income, pain and suffering and loss of love and companionship. An experienced product defect attorney will be able to protect your rights and help you seek fair compensation for your injuries damages and losses.