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| Thousands of self-balancing scooters have been seized by authorities over fire FEARS |
THOUSANDS of self-balancing scooters – commonly dubbed hoverboards – have been seized by UK authorities over fears the Christmas must-have gadget could explode.
Thousands of self-balancing scooters have been seized by authorities over fears the must-have Christmas gadgets could explode.
National Trading Standards, or NTS, have seized some 15,000 of the 17,000 self-balancing scooters since October 15th.
The news comes days after an Alabama man filmed his new hoverboard bursting into flames outside his home.
NTS officials said many of the hoverboards seized had "non-compliant electrical components that could explode or catch fire".
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| The warning comes days after footage of a self-balancing scooter burst into flame was posted online |
Non-compliant plugs without fuses were found on many of the self-balancing scooters. This increases the risk of overheating and exploding.
Bundled chargers, cables and batteries also failed a key number of National Trading Standards tests.
NTS chairman Lord Toby Harris revealed: "Our teams at sea ports, postal hubs and airports have seen a significant spike in the number of unsafe hoverboards arriving at national entry points in recent weeks and are working around the clock to prevent dangerous items from entering the supply chain.
"We suspect that most of these products are being imported for onward sale domestically as Christmas approaches."
Self balancing scooters are battery-powered boards which use a gyroscope to navigate.
Riders can drive forward and backwards by leaning in the respective direction. Tipping one foot either forward or backwards allows the rider to turn.
The boards, which have no universally accepted name, debuted in China but have become increasingly popular in the United States and UK after multiple celebrity appearances.
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| The self balancing scooters are becoming increasingly popular in the UK |
The gadgets range in price from £300 to £800 and are illegal to use in public in the UK.
National Trading Standards has released some key advice to consumers looking to purchase a hoverboard in time for Christmas –
- Never leave the self-balancing scooter charging unattended, especially overnight
- Check the shape of the plug, many of the seized boards had a clover-shaped mains plug.
- Double-check the online reviews before buying. Look for information about the company's head office as well as a landline number.
- Buy from a trusted online retailer. Websites with spelling and grammatical errors can be an indication that the seller is not part of a professional operation.
- Do not be dazzled by a bargain. Always question the price and if it looks too good to be true, it most likely is.
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