Some Hoverboard Explosions Raise Safety Concern

Hoverboard is the hottest toy in 2015. Celebrities ride it and kids are waiting for it as their Christmas present. However safety concern arise as some cases of explosion occured.

Hoverboard took over media attention by storm this year. From a hoverboard dance crew in the NBA opening night, rappers Public Enemy's performance in Jimmy Kimmel Live, Wiz Khalifa rode it in the LAX airport and other celebrities were sighted with hoverboards. All of them contributed much to the surging popularity of hoverboard this holiday, and making the self-balanced scooter the most wanted gift this holiday season,.

According to CNBC, more than 5,000 hoverboards has been sold in eBay since Thanksgiving, that is equal to one sales every 12 seconds. Hoverboard was first pioneered by Chinese manufacturer Hangzhou Chic Robotics in 2013, as a two-wheeled scooter balanced on a gyroscope. Soon after, other companies began making the device and named it hoverboard.

Yet, a safety concern arise after two hoverboards, HoverBoost and Fit Turbo as reported by CNBC, erupted in two incidents. Although it is not clear whether the lithium ion battery is the source of explosion or not, but extra caution is required when either charging the battery or riding the hoverboard. One explosion in Alabama happened when the overboard was being ridden, and one in Indiana was caught in flame when the scooter was being charged.

Daily Mail reported that a man in Gulf Shores, Alabama was riding his brand new hoverboard, when suddenly the scooter exploded beneath his feet. He bought the hoverboard from a seller in Amazon last Friday. "I came outside turned it on, came down the sidewalk not even a 100 feet, and it exploded," said Timothy Cade who was uninjured from the incident.

Jessica Horne was not as lucky as Cade, when a holiday gift to her 12-year-old son was caught in flame and destroyed their house in Lafitte, Louisiana. She ordered the most sought-after item on Amazon from Fit Turbo for $300. The incident occurred only one day after its usage, when her son was charging its battery and all of a sudden a flame erupted from both ends of the hoverboard.

The latest case of hoverboard explosion occurred in Boca Raton, Florida.  WPTV reported that an 11-year-old girl missed getting injured after the hoverboard she rode suddenly exploded. Pamela Levine, the girl's mother told the reporter that, "She felt it get hot, she jumped off, and it was in flames."

With several case of hoverboard was catching fire, safety concern is required. That includes examining the user manual and checking the power plug prior to charging and using the scooter.