Half a million hoverboards recalled after dozens burst into flames

More than 500,000 hoverboards are being recalled after dozens of reports of the motorized scooters catching fire or spewing smoke.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday that it has received at least 99 reports of hoverboard battery packs that have overheated, exploded or caught fire.

The federal safety regulator also said there have been at least 18 reports of injuries, such as burns to the neck, legs or arms, as well as reports of property damage.

The two-wheeled motorized scooters were a hot item during the holiday season, but the Internet soon teemed with videos and photos of hoverboards on fire. The first documented hoverboard fire in Los Angeles occurred in December: One of the scooters was captured on video bursting into flames on a Koreatown sidewalk.

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The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled over 500,000 hoverboards due to numerous reports of battery packs exploding or catching fire.

The newly recalled hoverboards were made by 10 companies ranging from Swagway of South Bend, Ind., to Keenford, based in Hong Kong. The companies also included two based in Southern California: Razor USA of Cerritos and PTX Performance Products USA of Irvine.

The recalled boards were sold in major stores nationwide and online between June and May and cost as much as $900.

Owners should stop using the recalled hoverboards and return them for a full refund, free repair or free replacement, the safety commission said.

Late last year, online retailers Amazon and Overstock pulled some hoverboards from their websites, citing safety concerns about the boards’ lithium-ion batteries.

The safety commission warned makers and retailers of hoverboards this year that they were required to follow new safety requirements or face recalls.

Many airlines, railroads and college campuses have already banned the boards, citing safety risks.

Delta, for example, said the lithium-ion batteries were poorly labeled and might exceed the 160-watt-hour limit mandated for batteries transported by aircraft. And Russell Crowe had a spat with Virgin Australia in December after the airline refused to let his family bring hoverboards as checked luggage.

Hoverboards are banned on local Metrolink trains, but California allows them to be ridden in bicycle lanes and on pathways and roadways — a law that took effect at the beginning of the year.

Times staff writer Amy Edelen contributed to this report.

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UPDATES:

10:25 a.m.: This article was updated with additional background information.

9:19 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with additional details.

This article was originally published at 8:21 a.m.