Hoverboard battery catches fire inside Tampa home
TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - It was a scary night for a New Tampa family after their hoverboard caught fire inside their home while charging. Authorities believe the lithium battery used to power the device could be responsible for the fire, bringing to light a very concerning issue.
We've seen these batteries burst before, with dangerous and sometimes deadly results.
Back in 2018, Riverview woman Melissa Hernandez was left with burns, scratches and bruises after her vape battery exploded.
"I looked down and it's spinning on the ground still with little sparks and fire," Hernandez said during a previous interview with FOX 13 back in 2018.
An exploding vape battery was also the cause of a St. Pete man's death just under a year ago. A faulty lithium battery inside a charging Samsung Galaxy Note 7 reduced one man's car to ask back in 2016.
"The dash caught on fire, and once it got the dash, the airbags went and started exploding and there was nothing I could do to save it," said Nathan Dornacher, the car's owner, during a 2016 interview with FOX 13.
Lithium batteries are commonly found in devices such as laptops, cell phones and portable chargers. The fires and explosions associated with the batteries are often caused by manufacturing defects or charging issues. Many of these variables are often out of the user's control.
"It's like a pressurized cylinder. When you try and blow into the balloon, at a certain point it's going to explode, plus in addition to that there's heat generated inside the battery," explained Dr. Alex Volinksy, a Professor of Mechanical Engineering, during a 2016 interview.
The Tampa family was uninjured during Friday's incident, and the fire only caused minor damage to the home.
However, it is a stark reminder that you can never be too careful.
Experts suggest taking precautions such as keeping the lithium batteries away from direct heat or sunlight and using them only for their intended purposes as ways to help protect against any surprise explosions.