10 Firms Recall Self-Balancing Scooters, Hoverboards over Fire Hazard

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Over the 2015 Christmas holidays, self-balancing scooters and hoverboards proved popular, but potentially dangerous gifts. After multiple incidents of the products catching fire – including one blaze that destroyed a Louisiana home – product safety recalls were issued for several brands. Now, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced another batch of recalls, warning that the lithium-ion battery packs in them can overheat, posing a risk of the products smoking, catching fire or even exploding.

Thus far, at least 99 reports of scooter or hoverboard battery packs overheating, sparking, smoking, catching fire and/or exploding, causing burn injuries and property damage, have been reported to the CPSC. The recalls affect some 501,000 units made or sold by the companies and marked with these brand names:

Company: Digital Gadgets LLC, of Monroe, N.J.

Model: Hover-Way/Model # HWSBB601-R

Company: Hoverboard LLC, of Scottsdale, Ariz.

Model: Powerboard

Company: Hype Wireless, of Edison, N.J.

Model: Hype Roam

Company: Keenford Ltd., of Lynbrook, N.Y.

Model: iMoto

Company: PTX Performance Products USA of Irvine, Calif.

Model: Airwalk Self Balancing Electric Scooter

Company: Razor USA LLC, of Cerritos, Calif.

Model: Hovertrax

Company: Swagway LLC, of South Bend, Ind.

Model: Swagway X1

Company: Yuka Clothing, of Miami, Fla.

Models: Wheeli, 2Wheelz, Back to the Future, Mobile Tech, Hover Shark, NWS, X Glider and X Rider

Company: Boscov’s, of Reading, Pa.

Model: Orbit

Company: Overstock.com, of Salt Lake City, Utah

Model: All

Recalled units sold for $350 to $900 from June 2015 through May 2016.

If you or your children own one of these products and have suffered no injuries or losses, contact the seller or manufacturer for a refund or replacement. If an injury or property damage or loss has occurred, keep the product intact as it may be used as evidence in a product liability lawsuit. Call Jacksonville’s Harrell and Harrell at 800-521-1111 to find out if you have a case.