Hoverboard Catches Fire in Lanoka Harbor Home

They were one of the most buzzed about holiday gifts of the year, but safety concerns about hoverboards are mounting...and those concerns just hit very close to home!

The Lanoka Harbor Fire Department shared a photo on Facebook of a scorched hoverboard that reportedly caught fire in a local home.

The caption reads (all sic),

FYI Be careful when charging up Hover boards, we responded to call today due to a hoverboard catching fire. Do not leave them unattended monitor them while charging.... Register them for warranties & Check for manufacturer recalls.

The fire is under investigation by the Ocean County Fire Marshall's Office."

This incident comes on the heels of news that Amazon contacted customers and told them to throw away certain hoverboards and has pulled many of them from the marketplace.

The danger comes from the batteries within them, which can overcharge (and overheat) while charging, damaging the battery, and in some cases, catching fire.

The most important thing to remember is to not leave them unattended while charging, and to check and make sure no recalls have been issued for your board.

And let's not forget that saying, "you get what you pay for." Cheap hoverboards are made with cheap materials, and are not necessarily subject to the safety regulations you would expect (if any at all.)

That said, there's no guarantee that the pricier models won't have the same issue.

Also worth mentioning: most airlines have completely banned hoverboards, and while they are still totally legal to use here in Jersey, NYC has banned them from city streets because they are considered motor vehicles.