Hoverboard Blamed for Monmouth Street Fire

By Brooklyn Lowery (PATCH STAFF)

CHELMSFORD, MA - No one was injured Monday night when a hoverboard apparently sparked and started a fire at 32 Monmouth St. in Chelmsford.

According to Chelmsford Fire Capt. Dan Funaro, an 11-year-old boy was playing with a hoverboard in the first-floor living room of the home when the contraption sparked and set a rug in the room on fire.

A family member reported the fire just before 8 p.m., Funaro said.

The fire department was able to quickly put out the blaze, which was contained to the rug and a bit of the wall behind the rug, Funaro said. He said he expected the family would be able to stay in the house.

Chelmsford firefighters cleared the scene after about 80 minutes, but the fire investigator remained on the scene as of about 9:30 p.m.

Funaro said it’s the first time the Chelmsford Fire Department has responded to a fire caused by a hoverboard.

On Thursday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission sent a letter to hoverboard manufacturers with a warning that they must address the fire risk of hoverboards. According to the letter, the CPSC has received reports of 52 hoverboard fires from consumers in 24 states. Those fires have caused more than $2 million in property damage, according to the CPSC.

Massachusetts Fire Marshal Stephen Coan released an advisory in November warning fire chiefs across the state of hoverboards’ history of catching fire.

“By now, most of you have heard of recent fire incidents involving hoverboards (motorized skateboards) powered by lithium-ion battery packs,” Coan said in his advisory, going on to warn that the hoverboards were expected to be popular holiday gifts.

At the time of Coan’s advisory on Nov. 12, 2015, only one hoverboard fire incident had been reported in Massachusetts.

Photos courtesy of Chelmsford Fire Department