A Pennsylvania family is grieving after a deadly fire engulfed their home and killed a toddler. First responders on the scene said the home caught fire from the explosion of a hoverboard. According to the officials, the 2-year-old girl is the first known death caused by a hoverboard in the United States.
60 hoverboard fires investigated by Safety Commission
The Consumer Products Safety Commission has already investigated 60 fires, which have been reported to the agency, according to Scott Wolfson, its spokesperson. He also promised to have this tragedy reported by local authorities fully investigated as well.
The head of the Harrisburg Fire Department, Brian Enterline, in an interview with NBC News, told the media outlet that when they arrived the deadly fire had already engulfed the home.
According to his report, the fire began a little before 8 p.m., and, aided by strong winds, quickly engulfed the first floor of the residence. Enterline also indicated that two occupants of the home were evacuated through the roof of a porch and the mother of the deceased child escaped through the kitchen.
Firefighter died on the way to hoverboard fire
However, the two young children who were on the upstairs of the home, were trapped on the second and third floor. The child’s body was removed by the Leigh County coroner and identified by law officials as Ashanti Hughes.
NBC affiliate WGAL reported that two children were taken to a nearby hospital where they were admitted in critical condition at the medical center’s burn unit.
Tragically, the fire department that answered the emergency call also lost one of its members. Firefighter Dennis DeVoe, who was on route to the scene lost his life in a car accident.
Khanyae Kendall, the 18 year-old-driver of the other vehicle was reportedly driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Police arrested Kendall at the scene and charged him with aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, as well as other criminal charges that were laid out against him.
500,000 hoverboards recalled in July
Since the hoverboard became popular, Elliot Kaye, Chairman of the safety commission said over 500,000 were recalled in July. Kaye stated that the Chinese models were reported to have faulty battery packs that would explode after overheating and start fires. The Chairman also said the design is a major safety concern. Additionally, the safety commission released several warnings to the general public, citing that the hoverboard was a very unsafe product.
