New Hoverboard Explodes And Ignites House Fire While Being Charged

By Emma G. Gallegos in News on Feb 15, 2016 6:22PM

Hoverboarding along Lake Shore Drive (Photo by Seth Anderson via the Chicagoist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)

A brand new hoverboard exploded into flames not once but several times when it was being charged for the first time in an Orland Park home Sunday evening.

The Village released a statement describing the fiery spectacle put into motion when the new toy (that is too hot for Amazon) was plugged in: "Shortly after, there were several explosions that shot burning pieces of the hover board across the room."

A window shade and part of a couch went up in flames, but fortunately the homeowners were able to put the blaze out themselves before the fire department arrived on the scene, according to the Tribune. Fire crews pitched in by clearing the house of smoke with power fans. One person suffered smoke inhalation, but they didn't need to be hospitalized. This all happened around 5 p.m. in a house in the 17200 block of Deer Trail.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating hoverboard fires around the country. It has recommendations for charging, like not doing it overnight while you're sleeping and making sure to do it far away from combustibles (like curtains or a couch, say).