Kids and grown-ups alike are dropping hundreds of dollars to own their own hot, new ride on wheels. So-called hoverboards are the must-have gift this holiday season. As popular as the toys are becoming now, these two-wheeled sensations also have a few critics.
Louisiana mother Jessica Horne says her 12-year-old son's hoverboard exploded. The skateboard, powered by lithium batteries, allows riders to move without effort, steering with their feet. Horne says it caught fire while her son was charging the battery using the charger that came with the hoverboard. She says the fire spread throughout the house. Fire officials are now investigating.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says eight injuries have been reported involving hoverboards during the last three months. But they were due to falls -- not fires. In fact social media is filled with hoverboard users posting falls known as hoverboard fails.
I reached out to the company that makes the hoverboard that the Lousiania mother says caught on fire. So far i have not heard back.
One more thing hoverboards users need to know: riding one on the streets of New York City is illegal.