After Deadly Fire, Government Warns Against Using LayZ Board Hoverboards

Two months after a charging “hoverboard” scooter sparked a tragic fire in Pennsylvania that claimed the lives of two young girls, federal safety regulators are warning consumers to stop using LayZ Board hoverboards.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission on Monday urged consumers to immediately stop using LayZ Board self-balancing scooters after it found evidence that the brand was involved in the March 10 fire in Harrisburg.

About 3,000 LayZ Boards, which were manufactured in China, are thought to be in use in the U.S., and can be identified by the “LAYZ BOARD” name printed on the front.

“Due to the fire hazard posed to consumers of all ages by these hoverboards, CPSC is urging the public to stop charging and stop using their LayZ Board,” the notice states.

Owners who choose to dispose of their hoverboards should take them to a local recycling center for safe handling of the lithium-ion battery, the CPSC notes.

It should be noted that this is not a recall of the hoverboards, but a safety warning issued by the CPSC. It is possible the agency will seek an actual recall in the future. Additionally, the CPSC clarifies that the warning applies only to LayZ Board devices, not the similarly named lazyboard scooters.

The CPSC opened an investigation into the March 10 incident shortly after fire officials ruled the fire accidental and attributed it to a charging hoverboard. However, the make and model of device was unknown until now.

In Sept. 2016, the CPSC recalled more than 500,000 “hoverboard” scooters from eight manufacturers over fire hazards posed by the devices’ lithium-ion battery backs.

At the time of the recall, there had been at least 99 incidents reported to the CPSC of the battery packs in self-balancing scooters/hoverboards overheating, sparking, smoking, catching fire and/or exploding including reports of burn injuries and property damage.

Elliot Kaye, who was Chairman of CPSC at the time of the recall, said the Commission had investigated more than 60 hoverboard fires in more than 20 states that resulted in more than $2 million in property damage.