Firefighters in South Bristol are warning people to check their children’s toys after a one person was injured when a hoverboard caught fire while it was charging in a house in Knowle overnight.
The blaze caused minor damage in one room, but was contained as firefighters from Bedminster arrived quickly to extinguish the flames and take the hoverboard outside.
Now, firefighters are urging people to check the latest safety information about hoverboards, check if their hoverboard isn’t one of the ones that have been recalled because of fire safety fears, and to take steps to re-charge them safely.
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The fire broke out at a house in Wedmore Vale at around 4.50am on Monday, June 5. Images shared by Bedminster’s fire crews showed the small child’s hoverboard had caught fire, and damaged carpets, a wall, a radiator and nearby toys, but the damage was contained.
A spokesperson for Avon Fire and Rescue said: "We were called to reports of a house fire at 4.50am, and crews from Bedminster found the aftermath of a fire in a domestic dwelling consisting of two floors.
"With the fire out on arrival, crews used a positive pressure ventilation fan for smoke clearance and a thermal imaging camera to inspect the scene. Crews also used a high pressure hose reel to submerge an electric hoverboard which had ignited whilst charging," she said. "One casualty was assessed by crews and treated for smoke inhalation using a trauma pack. The cause of the incident was determined to have been accidental ignition. For advice on items containing lithium ion batteries, see our dedicated safety page."
Bedminster's firefighters also shared a guide to hoverboard safety, which reported that since hoverboards became a popular toy in the mid 2010s, until 2019, many of the models people bought back then have been recalled because they don’t meet fire safety standards.
The guide reported that anyone buying a hoverboard should check it has ‘UL 2272’ certification. The other key advice is that hoverboards should not be left on charge overnight. Most take just three hours to fully charge, and should then be unplugged.
“This isn’t just to save energy; leaving a hoverboard charging too long can overcharge the battery. Even perfectly good batteries can explode or die when overcharged, so don’t do it. You should also not leave your hoverboard charging unattended,” said Rasmus Barslund, from ERideHero.
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