Hoverboard Bursts into Flames in California Home

A hoverboard burst into flames in a Petaluma, Calif. home in late-January, making it the second hoverboard fire in the area in one week.

The hoverboard was plugged into an electrical outlet to charge when the fire started.

Petaluma Fire Battalion Chief Mike Medeiros says the homeowner heard an explosion and found his daughter’s hoverboard plugged in and continuing to burn and explode. The homeowner used a fire extinguisher and unplugged the board.

Medeiros estimates the damage at roughly $10,000.

The two-wheeled, self-balancing, battery-powered devices have drawn criticism in recent months, as reports have come out across the country of them bursting into flames. Most recently, a Santa Rosa home was damaged and two dogs died in a hoverboard-sparked fire on Jan. 19.