A Redlands family plans to file a lawsuit after they say a hoverboard caused a fire that nearly burned down their house.
The fire broke out August 13 in the family's theater room, where the Swagtron-brand hoverboard was charging, said Cole Moscatel, who shares the home with his wife and father. As the fire spread, the flames caused extensive damage to the inside and outside of the house.
Cole Moscatel said he is well aware of the safety concerns around hoverboards, but felt safe about the Swagtron brand because the company guarantees on its website that its product will not catch on fire.
"Taking that into consideration, I thought it was safe," he said.
While San Bernardino County Fire Department investigators have not determined what caused the fire, they said it is possible that the hoverboard overheated and burst into flames.
Cole Moscatel's father, Harry Moscatel, had a warning for anyone who owns a hoverboard: "If somebody goes to sleep and forgets about it, they're liable to wake up in flames."
Swagtron did not immediately return a request for comment.
