More than 500,000 hoverboards recalled after fires, burns

In this Tuesday, May 31, 2016, file photo, signs prohibiting hoverboards hang in the Hudson Yards-34th Street subway station in New York. More than 500,000 hoverboards are being recalled after reports that they can burst into flames. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday, July 6, 2016, it has received 99 reports of battery packs in the two-wheel motorized scooters catching fire or exploding that causing burns or property damage. The recalled hoverboards were made by eight companies. AP FILE PHOTO

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 US regulator said Wednesday.

At least 18 injuries were reported, such as burns to the neck, legs or arms, according to the CPSC. Property damages were also 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 that they had to follow newly-created safety requirements or face recalls. Many airlines, railroads and college campuses have already banned hoverboards, citing safety risks.

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The recalled hoverboards were made by 10 companies ranging from Swagway LLC of South Bend, Indiana, to Keenford Ltd., based in Hong Kong.

They were sold online and in major stores nationwide between June 2015 and May 2016. 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, at 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.

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