More than 500,000 hoverboards recalled after fires, damage
A young man rides a hoverboard along a Manhattan street toward the Empire State Building in New York last year.
Signs prohibiting hoverboards hang in the Hudson Yards-34th Street subway station in New York.
NEW YORK – More than 500,000 hoverboards are being recalled after some of the motorized scooters overheated, burned riders and damaged property.
There have been 99 reports to the Consumer Product Safety Commission of hoverboard battery packs that exploded or caught fire, the U.S. regulator said Wednesday.
At least 18 injuries have been reported, such as burns to the neck, legs or arms, according to the CPSC.
Property damages also were reported.
Hoverboards were a hot item during the holiday season, but videos and photos of the two-wheeled motorized scooters on fire or spewing smoke were soon showing up frequently on the internet.
The CPSC warned hoverboard makers and retailers earlier this year they had to follow newly created safety requirements or face recalls. Many airlines, railroads and college campuses have already banned hoverboards, citing safety risks.
The recalled hoverboards were made by 10 companies ranging from Swagway LLC of South Bend, Ind., to Keenford Ltd., based in Hong Kong.
They were sold online and in major stores nationwide between June 2015 and May. They can cost as much as $900.
Owners should stop using the recalled hoverboards and return them for a full refund, free repair or a free replacement, the CPSC said.
Of the companies named, Swagway had the most recalled hoverboards, at 267,000. The company’s $400 Swagway X1 also had the most reports of injuries, 16.
Others being recalled include 84,000 of Keenford’s iMoto hoverboards; 70,000 of Hoverboard LLC’s Powerboard; and 28,000 of Razor USA’s Hovertrax.