Chief fire marshal: Thanksgiving fire in Glen Cove caused by charging hoverboard

Officials say that Thanksgiving Day severely damaged a home on McLoughlin Street in Glen Cove.

Cecilia Dowd

Nov 29, 2024, 10:23 PM

Updated 5 days ago

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A Thanksgiving Day fire in Glen Cove was a result of a hoverboard charging in a bedroom, according to the Nassau County chief fire marshal.
Chief Fire Marshall Michael Uttaro said the homeowner tried to unplug the device and get it out of the house.
"That homeowner sustained some minor burns, very minor burns," Uttaro said.
The chief fire marshal said consumers should be cautious when buying items that use lithium-ion batteries.
“The best thing you can do is if you’re going to be buying a holiday gift that uses a lithium-ion battery like a hoverboard, an ebike, scooters or anything like that, make sure it’s a brand name item, make sure it’s a brand that’s tested by UL or an approved testing laboratory. Don’t go on the Internet and buy the cheapest one. Sometimes the cheapest one is a knockoff," he said.
Uttaro said there were working smoke detectors in the home. He said it is believed that the hoverboard in the home was not a name-brand one.