At least 19 killed this year in hoverboard, e-scooter fires, feds say

Hoverboards and their ilk have overheated or caught hearth lots of of occasions this yr, killing no less than 19 individuals and sending greater than 20 others to hospital emergency rooms in 39 states, federal officers mentioned this week in urging producers to observe voluntary security requirements. 

From the beginning of January via November 28, 2022, the U.S. Shopper Product Security Fee acquired no less than 208 studies of electrical scooters, e-bikes and different so-called micro-mobility merchandise overheating or bursting into flames, the company mentioned in a information release. 

The incidents resulted in no less than 19 deaths, together with 5 associated to e-scooters, 11 with hoverboards and three related to e-bikes, the company mentioned. CPSC additionally acquired studies of no less than 22 accidents handled in hospital emergency departments throughout that interval, 12 associated to e-scooters and 10 involving e-bikes, it added.

An electrical scooter battery sparked a fire that killed an 8-year-old girl in New York Metropolis, authorities mentioned in September. The loss of life of Stephanie Villa Torres was no less than the third time in a bit over a yr {that a} deadly hearth within the metropolis has been linked to a scooter battery.

Merchandise that do not adjust to established requirements “could pose an unreasonable threat to shoppers of fireside and critical damage or loss of life,” CPSC said Monday in a letter to greater than 2,000 producers and importers. Complying with requirements “considerably reduces the danger of accidents and deaths from micro-mobility system fires,” the letter mentioned.

Producers have been urged to evaluation their product strains. “Failure to take action places U.S. shoppers susceptible to critical hurt and should lead to enforcement motion,” cautioned Robert Kaye, director of the workplace of compliance and discipline operations at CPSC.

The company final yr warned of a 70% spike in injuries over 4 years, stemming from use of the merchandise. CPSC recorded no less than 71 deaths from 2017 via 2020. 

That hazard extends to pedestrians, a hazard illustrated by the death of actress Lisa Banes after getting hit by an e-scooter whereas crossing the road in New York Metropolis in June of 2021. 

CPSC every week in the past posted a recall of e-bikes distributed by Gyroor after the corporate acquired two studies of battery packs igniting and two studies of accidents requiring medical consideration. There have been a variety of other recollects for a similar motive this yr.