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The UK seized 15,000 hoverboards because they might explode

Hoverboards may be all the rage these days, but they may become more difficult to find in stores. At least in the UK. 

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The UK's consumer protection agency National Trading Standards revealed on Thursday that it has inspected some 17,000 “self-balancing scooters” since mid-October and found that 15,000 of the devices (88%) were ruled unsafe and detained at the border.

exploding hoverbaord
Timothy Cade from Gulf Shores, Alabama claims his hoverboard exploded while he was riding it. YouTube/BAU 9NEWS LIVES

Safety issues with the board included problems with the plug, cables, charger, battery or cut-off switch within the board, which the agency said often fails.

According to the agency’s website, another major problem the inspectors found was that many of the boards also had noncompliant plugs without fuses, which increases the chance of the board overheating and exploding or catching fire.

The agency did not name specific hoverboard brands, however, The Guardian reports that the UK retailer Halfords recalled its Air Runner Balance Board over the weekend because of concerns with plugs and chargers.

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On Thursday, the London Fire Brigade also posted the image below, showing a hoverboard that caught fire in October, to its website. 

hoverboard
London Fire Brigade

It’s also worth noting that there have been several reports of exploding hoverboards in the US recently, as well. 

For those in the UK, the agency warns that while it's doing all it can to ensure the products coming to market are safe, consumers should ultimately take some time to inspect the board themselves if they decide to purchase one.

“We suspect that most of these products are being imported for onward sale domestically as Christmas approaches – we urge consumers to be on their guard when purchasing these products and advise you read our product safety checklist to help ensure you are not purchasing a dangerous item,” Toby Harris, Chair, National Trading Standards, said in a statement on the agency’s website.

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