Hoverboard toy explodes while charging

A novelty hoverboard toy that is expected to be a hot buy for Christmas exploded while it was being charged at a home in Kent. The explosion caused £25,000 of damage to the house after the owners plugged the toy to charge up in their kitchen. Families in Essex and across the U.K. have been urged to be cautious and to ensure that the types of toys they purchase are not on the National Trading Standards list of dangerous items.

The UK Trading Standards has been impounding large numbers of the imitation hoverboards after tests found that many were failing to meet basic safety requirements. In seven weeks 17,000 units were checked and 15,000 of them had faults that could cause them to ignite. The failings included faulty plugs or plugs without fuses, chargers and batteries that were below standard and defective safety switches.

The retail chain Halfords was forced to issue a recall on the hoverboards it was selling under its own brand name after some of the items were found to have faults with the chargers and plugs. Another retailer which was selling the Halfords hoverboards was Costco, and it also issued a warning regarding the product. Failing components of the scooter such as batteries and plugs have been reported to be the cause of a number of fires in the London and Buckinghamshire areas.

Defective products in the home may not only damage private property but can also cause injury or even death and some products, such as toys, are required to meet even more stringent safety checks. If people have been harmed by a faulty item and the manufacturer has been negligent, a solicitor experienced in the area of product liability may be able offer legal advice to assist the victim in securing the compensation they are entitled to.