Hoverboard fires cause confusion for Sonoma County parents

Dec. 16--Anxious parents and consumers are having second thoughts about one of the holiday season's must-have toys, as reports of hoverboards catching fire grow in number across the nation. Some online retailers have stopped selling the devices, one of which caught fire in an East Bay home earlier this week.

The toys, despite their futuristic name, do not hover above the ground like the one used by Michael J. Fox's character in the movie "Back to the Future." Instead, they have a pair of battery-powered wheels set apart by a platform to hold the rider's feet. The cheapest models start at under $100, while the priciest can go for more than $700.

They've been one of the hottest selling items so-far this holiday season, with Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, frequently selling out of some models.

But recent reports of fire hazards linked to some of the toys have given retailers pause and may be putting a chill in the sales trend.

The latest reported incident came Monday, after a hoverboard started popping and crackling and eventually burst into flames while charging in a Brentwood home, according to KNTV. Fire crews were called out to the residence as a small fire charred some tiling and walls along the foyer leading to a bedroom, the station reported.

That blaze marked the 12th fire investigation in 10 states by the Consumer Product Safety Commission over the electric self-balancing scooters, said Patty Davis, spokeswoman for the agency.

"You get what you pay for," said Jake Bunch, who blamed cheap Chinese knockoffs for the problems. Bunch is a distributor of a higher-end rival product, the Ninebot, which resembles a seat-less unicycle, that is on sale at the Santa Rosa Plaza.

Overstock said Dec. 9 it would stop selling the products, and Amazon has removed listings for some models and asked manufacturers for documentation related to its devices' batteries.

"Customer safety is always our top priority," said Mitch Edwards, general counsel for Overstock, in a statement. Overstock has contacted customers who have purchased the hoverboards and they can get a full refund if a return is started within two weeks of notification.

Domestic airlines also have banned the toys from flights amid safety concerns, especially over whether the lithium-ion batteries among cheaper models are shoddy and susceptible to catching on fire.

The news reports have raised some anxiety among some parents who are preparing to give the devices as Christmas presents.

Rene Morales, who lives and works in Santa Rosa, said in an email he bought one hoverboard for his 13-year-old son for $400, but has reservations after hearing news reports and is leaning toward getting him a laptop instead.

"Right now, I'm teetering and tottering on this. I'm inclined to get him a laptop," Morales said. "I'm just freaked out; it's too dangerous."

The CPSC is not issuing a recall as it investigates the fires, but it recommends to buyers that they check that the batteries and chargers are certified by a national testing lab such as Underwriters Laboratories, said Davis.

One manufacturer for a device purchased on Amazon emailed a concerned parent to assuage any fears.

"Pls do not worry, we have already applied for CE, UN38.3 and MSDS certificates for the battery and charger (is based on the standard UL approval)," the email from Amazon store Funny-Home said of a product made by Shenzhen Realtime M&C. "We also bought a security insurance for every of our scooter, this can guarantee the battery's safety," the reply read.

The CPSC also said that hoverboards should not be charged overnight and that users should be awake while they charge. Buyers also should not charge the hoverboard and then put it under the tree for the next week, she said.

The agency recommends that users use a helmet, elbow and knee pads when people use the device, the same accessories recommended for skateboarders. Officials said 39 people have been treated at emergency clinics for hoverboard injuries that were not related to the fires, Davis said.

Jessica Ramirez of Santa Rosa said her father fell off her hoverboard that she received as a early Christmas gift on Sunday.

"I let my dad use it and he fell. He got hurt really bad in his wrist," Ramirez said. She added that her father should have probably used a helmet and had wrist guards while using the device.

At the Santa Rosa Plaza, a man who was working a kiosk selling hoverboards reassured a woman that he would provide an initial instruction on use of the device for her kids, though he could only do it outside the mall.

The salesman, who did not give his name, said he helped a 65-year-old man learn how to use the device. "I make it easy for people," he said.

Consumers Union, an advocacy group, noted there is very little regulation of the devices outside of New York City, where they have been banned from public streets, and the United Kingdom, where they can be only used on private land. The devices are typically purchased from Chinese factories by small, little-known companies, which then find distributors in the United States to sell the products, according to Consumers Union. They are generally not brand-name products, making it harder for consumers to find one with confidence it will be safe.

Bunch, who also sells the Ninebots at the Solano Town Center in Fairfield, said that he believes the incidents will help bolster his product, which sells for $649 and $799, given that he provides a 1-year warranty and that Ninebot Inc., the Beijing-based manufacturer of the device, earlier this year bought Segway, bolstering its reputation in the market.

"Some changes are coming. People have been hurt and things keep blowing up," Bunch said.

This article includes information from the Associated Press. You can reach Staff Writer Bill Swindell at 521-5223 or bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @BillSwindell.

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