A 3-year-old in Harrisburg, Pa., died on Saturday after a hoverboard caught fire in her home. Though hoverboards have been considered dangerous for a while now (they were publicly condemned as dangerous by the CPSC and recalled en masse), CNN reported that this is the first death caused by a hoverboard fire in the U.S.
The fire, which started on Friday night, sent six to the hospital, including the girl’s father, who was treated for smoke inhalation and released.
Harrisburg fire chief Brian Enterline told PennLive.com that the fire was ruled accidental, but that the rechargeable hoverboard plugged into an outlet was the cause. Enterline added that the family heard a “sizzling and cracking” before the item exploded.
Scott Wolfson, the CPSC’s communications director, told CNN that the commission has conducted “more than 60 fire investigations across the country” relating to hoverboard fires.
The commission also saw positive results after the July recall of more than 500,000 hoverboards, which makes the incident in Harrisburg “a dramatic and deeply concerning event,” according to Wolfson.
“It is not too late to take advantage of the recall,” Wolfson told CNN.
Wolfson added that those looking to purchase hoverboard products should buy ones that follow UL safety standards, and stressed that owners should not charge them overnight and in unmonitored locations.
According to PennLive.com, Harrisburg Fire Dept. Lt. Dennis DeVoe died from injuries sustained in an auto accident while he was on his way to the scene. He was hit by an inebriated driver in a stolen car.
