53,000 scooters recalled after girls die in fire

TOPEKA (KSNT) – A nationwide recall has been posted after two girls died in a fire linked to a self-balancing scooter/hoverboard.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the recall on March 30 alongside Jetson Electric Bikes LLC, of Brooklyn, New York. In total, 53,000 42-volt Jetson Rogue self-balancing scooters/hoverboards are impacted by this recall. It has been found that the lithium-ion battery packs in the scooters can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

On April 1, 2022, a 10-year-old girl and her 15-year-old sister died in a fire in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, according to the CPSC. The Hellertown Borough Fire Marshal later found that a 42-volt Jetson Rogue was the origin point of the fire which led to the death of the sisters and smoke inhalation injuries for their parents. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Multiple other reports of the recalled scooters burning, sparking or melting have been received, according to the CPSC. Some instances include reports of flames.

Both the CPSC and Jetson are encouraging customers to immediately stop using and charging the recalled 42-volt version of the self-balancing scooters and reach out to Jetson for a refund. Instructions for customers can be found online by using this link where they will be prompted to submit photographs of the hoverboard’s serial number, charger, its purchase date and affirmation of disposal of the hoverboard in accordance with state or local ordinances for lithium-ion batteries.

(Photo Courtesy/CPSC)

Photos can be submitted online, by email or by postal mail, according to the CPSC. Since the scooter’s lithium-ion battery must be handled differently than other batteries, customers should not put the scooter’s battery in recycling boxes found at retailers or home improvement stores. Customers should not throw the battery into the trash either. Follow procedures established by your municipal recycling center for proper disposal of the recalled batteries.

This recall impacts all 42-volt Jetson Rogue self-balancing scooters/hoverboards, according to the CPSC. The scooters have two wheels with light up hubcaps and come in colors of black, blue, red, pink and purple with a black platform. ‘Jetson’ is printed on one side of the body and on the top of the footpads.

Scooters impacted by this recall were built from 2018 through 2019 and have a UL certification label and serial number on the bottom of each unit, according to the CPSC. The recalled scooters do not have a barcode on the bottom of the unit. Scooters with a barcode next to the serial number are not included in this recall. The charge port of impacted scooters has three pins and is located to the left of the power button. Scooters with a charge port that has just one pin and is located to the right of the power button are not included in this recall.

The recalled scooters were sold at Target stores nationwide and online from August 2018 through June 2019 and at www.ridejetson.com from January 2019 through November 2021 for prices of $100-$150.

You can reach out to Jetson by calling 800-635-4815 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or by using this link.