Hoverboard causes house fire in Seven Corners

The burned hoverboard. [FCFRD]

A house fire in the 2900 block of Meadow Lane in Seven Corners on Aug. 9 was caused by a hoverboard that ignited while being charged, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reports.

One occupant of the single-family home was transported to the hospital with minor injuries sustained when he tried to remove the hoverboard from the home. 

Damage caused by the hoverboard fire. [FCFRD]

When units from the Fairfax County and Arlington County fire departments arrived at about 4:45 p.m., they found the fire was already out. It was started in a hoverboard that was charging in the basement.  

All four occupants got outside before the fire trucks arrived. They discovered the fire when the home’s smoke alarms sounded. Damage was estimated at $750. No occupants were displaced.

The fire department urges hoverboard owners to follow these guidelines from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC): 

• Use only chargers supplied with the hoverboard.
• Only charge a hoverboard when you are there to watch it. Do not leave it charging overnight.
• Keep it away from flammable items while charging and when it is not used. 
• Hoverboards should be compliant with the UL 2272 safety standard. However, even UL 2272 compliance cannot guarantee that a hoverboard will not overheat or catch fire.
• Hoverboards purchased before Jan. 29, 2016, are not UL 2272 compliant.
• Check the CPSC website for recalls. Stop using a recalled hoverboard immediately and contact the manufacturer for the remedy.