Destroyed by a hoverboard: Tennesse mansion razed to the ground after $400 gadget explodes 

  • A 4,000 sqft house in Nashville, Tennessee burnt down completely
  • Investigators found that the fire was caused by a hoverboard
  • They do not know if the toy was charging when it caught fire
  • Girl, 16, jumped from the second floor, her brother, 14, went down a ladder 
  • A federal investigation links hoverboards to at least 40 fires in 19 states

By CLEMENCE MICHALLON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: | Updated:

A fire started by a hoverboard ravaged a house in Nashville, Tennessee, trapping two teenagers upstairs.

One of them, a 16-year-old girl, jumped out of the window from the second floor, ABC reported. Her brother, 14, climbed down a ladder with his father's help.

Investigators have determined that the fire, which burnt down the house completely, was caused by a Fiturbo F1 hoverboard.

This is one of dozens of hoverboard fires currently under investigation across the country, the Nashville Fire Department said.

A house in Nashville, Tennesse, was completely destroyed in a fire (pictured) started by a hoverboard. It's one of dozens of hoverboard fires under investigation around the country

A house in Nashville, Tennesse, was completely destroyed in a fire (pictured) started by a hoverboard, the Nashville Fire Department said. This is one of dozens of hoverboard fires under investigation around the country

Two teenagers, a 16-year-old girl and her 14-year-old brother, were inside the house when the fire started and escaped. It is unclear whether the family will rebuild the 4,000 square feet mansion (pictured)

Two teenagers, a 16-year-old girl and her 14-year-old brother, were inside the house when the fire started and escaped. It is unclear whether the family will rebuild the 4,000 square feet mansion (pictured)

The hoverboard that started the fire was reduced to ashes. Officials says the device was likely charging at the time of the blaze

The hoverboard that started the fire was reduced to smithereens (pictured) and is so badly damaged that officials will probably not be able to tell whether it was charging at the time

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission said last month that it was looking into the safety of the toys, linking them to at least 40 fires in 19 states.

The two teenagers, who have not been named, were taken to the hospital after the fire and had minor injuries.

'We are fortunate that there were only minor injuries in what was an extremely dangerous fire,' Nashville Fire Chief Rick White told ABC. 'We hope Nashvillians use extreme caution before purchasing or using these hoverboards.'

It is unclear whether the family will rebuild the 4,000 square feet mansion, worth $1 million according to ABC.

The hoverboard that caused the fire was reduced to smithereens and is now so destroyed that investigators will probably not be able to determine whether it was charging at the time.

A close friend of the family, who had also purchased a Fiturbo F1 hoverboard, experienced a small fire while charging the toy, the Nashville Fire Department said. That fire only damaged the hoverboard.

Those who own a hoverboard should always use the charger supplied by the manufacturer, the Nashville Fire Department said. They should not leave the toy unattended while charging, or leave it plugged into an outlet during the night.

They should not overcharge their hoverboard and they should respect the charging times recommended by the manufacturer.

Just last week, another fire caused by a hoverboard ravaged a home in San Leandro, California. 

Fire officials found that it had originated near an outlet where the toy was charging.

Repeat pattern: A friend of the family bought the same model of hoverboard, a Fiturbo F1, which caught fire while it was charging. That fire only damaged the hoverboard (pictured)

A friend of the family bought the same model of hoverboard, a Fiturbo F1, which caught fire while it was charging. That fire only damaged the hoverboard (pictured)

HOW TO SPOT A SAFE HOVERBOARD

Consumers are advised to check the packaging has a manufacturer's name and contact details

Consumers are advised to check the packaging has a manufacturer's name and contact details

In the past few months, hoverboard companies have come under fire for issuing products that can suddenly explode.

Many of these occurrences were found to be a result of counterfeit devices. 

One consumer found instructions that include: 'Get off the bus, get off before you stop intelligent drifting scooter balance state, one foot down, the other one foot in the left drifting scooter again.'

KCC Trading Standards Operations Manager James Whiddett said: 'The first thing consumers should do is check the packaging. 

'They won't have manufacturer details on them.

'Plugs won't go into your socket properly and without a fuse, they're very dangerous. 

'The product itself should have a CE mark on it and the ones we have found have nothing on them at all.

'These things have batteries in them that can overheat and catch fire and we've seen that happen in the county already. Remember the golden rule, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.'

The instructions should contain all the information you need to use the product safely and the manufacturers name and address should be included so you can contact them if anything goes wrong.

Check for spelling mistakes on the box; this is a giveaway for counterfeits. They also often copy safety marks, so take a close look to be sure they are genuine. 

 

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