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Hoverboard Sparks Fire in Maryland Home

A charging "hoverboard" started a fire at a Gaithersburg, Maryland, home last month, Montgomery County fire officials said Friday.

Firefighters were called to the 7700 block of Mineral Springs Drive at 9 p.m. Nov. 8 and arrived to find a fire in the upstairs bedroom.

A self-balancing, two-wheel electric scooter was plugged into an electrical outlet when it caught fire, investigators said. The device, known as a hoverboard, then rolled into the bed and ignited the bedding.

The Montgomery County Fire Department shared a photo of the charred device and the damage it caused on Twitter.

No injuries were reported.

Montgomery County Fire Battalion Chief Kevin Frazier said consumers need to be extremely careful when buying a hoverboard or any other electronic device that was made outside of the U.S. Often times they're not regulated.

Several hoverboard-related fires have been reported recently. 

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A family in Chappaqua, New York, was displaced earlier this week when an electrical malfunction caused a hoverboard to go up in flames.

A similar fire was reported in Florida last week. The victim told NBC affiliate WPTV a 9-day-old hoverboard she purchased for her daughter overheated and exploded.

"She felt it get hot, she jumped off, and it was in flames," Pamela Levine told WPTV.

Many of these fires start when devices are overcharged, Frazier said.

“Be very cautious when you're charging these items,” he said. “Make sure they are not charged unattended. Do not leave them on charge overnight.”

The potential fire danger prompted the three largest U.S. airlines — Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines — to ban hoverboards in checked and carry-on luggage. JetBlue Airways already prohibited them.

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