WASHINGTON — The manufacturer and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission are recalling a model of hoverboard blamed in a fire that killed two Hellertown girls last year.
- About 53,000 42-volt Jetson Rogue self-balancing scooters/hoverboards are included in the recall
- The recall follows an April 2022 fire that claimed the lives of a 10-year-old girl and her 15-year-old sister in Hellertown
- Consumers who have purchased the recalled hoverboards should contact Jetson for a full refund
The CPSC has teamed up with Jetson Electric Bikes LLC to recall about 53,000 42-volt Jetson Rogue self-balancing scooters/hoverboards due to the risk of fire.
The lithium-ion battery packs in the self-balancing scooters/hoverboards have been found to overheat, which can pose a fire hazard, according to the commission. There have been several reports of the recalled scooters/hoverboards burning, sparking or melting, with some cases involving flames, according to the recall.
On April 1, 2022, 10-year-old Abigail Kaufman and her 15-year-old sister Brianna Baer died in a fire in Hellertown. Although the cause of the fire remains undetermined, the borough fire marshal determined the hoverboard was the point of origin, the CPSC said.
The fire originated from the self-balancing scooter/hoverboard and spread to other areas of the house, resulting in the two girls' deaths and smoke inhalation injuries to their parents, the CPSC said.
The recall involves all 42-volt Jetson Rogue self-balancing scooters/hoverboards, which have two wheels with light-up hubcaps and come in black, blue, red, pink, and purple with a black platform.
The affected units were manufactured from 2018 through 2019 and have a UL certification label and serial number on the bottom of the unit, according to the recall. The units with a barcode next to the serial number are not included in this recall. The charge port on affected units has three pins and is located to the left of the power button.
According to CPSC, consumers who have purchased the recalled self-balancing scooters/hoverboards are urged to stop using and charging them immediately and contact Jetson for a full refund.
Consumers can visit the Jetson website to submit photographs of the hoverboard's serial number, charger, purchase date and confirmation of disposal of the hoverboard in accordance with state or local ordinances for lithium-ion batteries.
Consumers should follow the procedures established by their municipal recycling center for disposal of recalled lithium-ion batteries and avoid depositing them in battery recycling boxes found at retailers or home improvement stores or disposing of them in the trash.
The CPSC said in a statement that when charging micromobility devices such as hoverboards, consumers should exercise caution and only use the supplied charger while being present.
