Jetson Rogue announced it is recalling tens of thousands of electric hoverboards after two girls were killed by a fire likely sparked by the lithium-ion battery pack.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission urged those who own a 42-volt Jetson Rogue self-balancing scooter/hoverboard to immediately stop using and charging the product. The board’s battery packs can overheat, posing a fire hazard, according to the commission.
The announcement comes one year after sisters Brianna Baer, 15, and Abigail Kaufman, 10, died following a fire inside their Hellertown, Pa. home. The flames left both girls trapped on the second floor while their mother, Jennifer Lee Kaufman, escaped from the first floor, according to the Morning Call. Their father, Damien Kaufman, who was in the detached garage when the fire broke out, tried unsuccessfully to save to his daughters.
The girls were ultimately rescued by firefighters but later died at the hospital.
The Hellertown Borough Fire Marshal has since concluded that a 42-volt Jetson Rogue was the point of origin for the fire, which spread across the home and caused smoke inhalation injuries to the parents.
The cause of the blaze is still undetermined.
“There have been multiple other reports of the recalled scooters/hoverboards burning, sparking or melting, several of which involved reports of flames,” CPSC said.
The affected units were manufactured in 2018 and 2019 and have serial numbers starting with “ROG.”
Owners of the hoverboards — a self-balancing scooter with two light-up wheels — are entitled to full refunds. They originally retailed for between $100 and $150 through Target and Jetson.