Amazon pulling hoverboards from its store over safety concerns

PhunkeeDuck, Hoverboard, and CoolReall did not immediately respond to requests for comment; Leray could not be reached for comment. These fake boards have been deemed a hazard after several caught fire while they were charging.

“We applaud Amazon for taking these steps to weed out the low quality boards and want to note that this removal is NOT specific to Swagway”, a company spokeswoman said in an emailed statement.

As previously reported by BestReviews, Amazon has now actively started removing listings from its site over explosion fears. If consumers try searching at Amazon for the name, “Swagway”, no results are returned.

Following reports that the self-balancing two-wheeled electronic devices could burst into flames, Amazon has removed most hoverboards from its site. Meanwhile, we ask that consumers only purchase from authorised retailers as an added precaution.

The e-commerce giant halted sales of many hoverboard models, including some from Swagway – one of the most popular hoverboard manufactures on the market. A family in Louisiana also blamed a house fire on a new hoverboard.

“Had the homeowners not been home at the time, their home would have sustained significant fire damage”. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is now looking into the matter.

Amazon has stopped selling hoverboards following various reports of fires caused by the self-balancing scooters.

Swagway sent a statement to the Verge that its products fully comply with all safety standards.

According to Overstock.com’s General Counsel and Senior Vice President Mitch Edwards, “Customer safety is always our top priority”.

There may be another reason not to gift a hoverboard this Christmas.

Major airlines, including American Airlines and Delta, have already banned the hoverboards. In cities like NY, they’re technically (and understandably) illegal to use in public, and can get you fined $200. Patty Davis, a spokesperson for the CPSC, told Mashable that there have been at least 10 different reports of the fire incidences in nine different states. Swagway further says that the products it is offering meet such certifications, and the company is also “happy” that Amazon is filtering out sellers who offer cheaper hoverboards that can, in turn, pose fire risks.