“Some of them are exploding, some of them are fire hazards and so the safety of our students is really paramount”, Ono said.
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It was one of the most popular gifts this past holiday season, and many college students use the hoverboards to get around campus. We just cautioned them about these sorts of things.
The ban is temporary, but will last until manufacturers of hoverboards can demonstrate the batteries meet safety standards reliably.
“Temple University is prohibiting these devices on all university campuses, including in residence halls and academic buildings”, said Temple Senior Vice President for Construction, Facilities and Operations James Creedon.
The motorized devices are being investigated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for fire and fall hazards, and many higher education institutions across the country have prohibited their use on campus.
“With the safety of students as a top priority, and with the potential for fires in dorms that may harm or even kill students, a policy banning such devices makes good sense”, he wrote.
The primary concern from fire officials is associated with the Lithium-ion batteries or the charging unit typically in “cheaper” units, Corvallis fire officials said.
Hoverboards continue to gain popularity in the United States, but the faster they sell, the faster universities are turning them down.
“Honestly, I was really disappointed”, said Colegrove, 20.
“I think students have a right hoverboards if they want”, Jsaon Kitting said, “I’ll admit I’ve seen accidents but I’ve also seen accidents with bikes”.
“I do not blame [HDRL], although it seems that there haven’t been any incidents on campus of a fire starting because of one yet”, he noted.
Others took to social media to voice their frustration, with some saying they planned to bring their scooters to school anyway. In New York City, hoverboards are illegal.
So far, there have been 11 reports in 10 states, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
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Queen’s University in Charlotte told WBTV it’s “in discussion about hoverboards but school officials haven’t done an official ban yet”. Fire officials from New Jersey to California have blamed the boards for fires that damaged homes.
