Amazon stops selling hoverboards over fire concerns

Multiple fires and explosions involving popular hoverboards have led to retialer Amazon pulling them from sale.

You've probably seen them in most shops this Christmas, in many celebrities' social media accounts and even in the streets, usually being used by children and teenagers.

But just as hoverboards were quickly becoming the Christmas craze of 2015, leading online retailer Amazon has stopped selling them over safety concerns.

A warning on the site says that the retailer are not recommending purchases of hoverboards until they are proven safe.

There have been several reports of fires caused by the popular products in recent weeks, and according to the London Fire Brigade, at least three house fires were caused by hoverboards over 10 days in October this year.

In Buckinghamshire, one man suffered burns after his son's hoverboard exploded at the beginning of the month.

David Beckham's eldest son Brooklyn often posts pictures and videos of himself riding a hoverboard on social media

Like most popular electronic products, the majority of hoverboards are manufactured in bulk in China before being bought by resellers to make changes for branding.

However, unlike other products which have little or no electronic components - like last year's popular selfie sticks - hoverboards contain large batteries which could present a fire hazard.

The Trading Standards office have been seizing hoverboards around the UK for safety checks, and found that 88% of seized products were defective, as many have plugs without fuses, faulty cables or chargers that can burst into flames.

Lily Allen is one of the many hoverboard celebrity fans

Swagway, one of the leading sellers of the products on Amazon, welcomed the retailer's decision as they consider it important to 'weed out the low quality boards', they told The Verge in a statement, adding that their products already meet all the certifications Amazon requested.

Although fires have been the main cause of concern over hoverboards, safety fears over the product intensified after a teenager recently died after being hit by a bus while riding a hoverboard in London.

According to reports, the teenager was hit by the bus after falling off the hoverboard, and was dragged down the street.

A number of airlines, including British Airlines, have also banned the products from their flights for fear of fires and explosions.