Mall evacuated as Hoverboard explosion mistaken for a bomb

The Deerbrook Mall confirmed a hoverboard at a kiosk in the mall exploded and caught fire.

"We heard what we thought was a bomb," shopper Amanda Rucka told KTRK-TV.

"We ran out to see, of course, to see what it was and it was actually a hoverboard that caught on fire and it was the batteries that were blowing up, not a bomb."

The area of the mall around the kiosk was evacuated for about an hour while the thick smoke dissipated.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said during the weekend it is looking into at least 22 hoverboard fires in 17 states, including at least one other device that exploded while at a mall kiosk.

Federal investigators said the lithium ion batteries in the devices might be the reason for the explosions and fires.

SEE ALSO: 3 tips on how to avoid buying a hoverboard that might explode

Hoverboard also known as Segways, which are predominantly made in China, can overheat while charging and catch fire. People have been warned against leaving the devices to charge while unattended.

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