POLK COUNTY, Ga. — A local house burned down, and the family says a hoverboard is to blame.
The family says the hoverboard was plugged into the wall, charging for about two hours inside their Polk County home Wednesday. They didn't think it would be a problem because the instructions on the box said to charge it for 4 to 5 hours.
The family wasn't home when the fire erupted, but their neighbors were and saw the flames and came to help.
Jean and Phil Akins live a few houses down from the home on North Bellview Road in Rockmart. Jean was driving by when she saw smoke coming from the back of their neighbor's home. She told her husband to come over right away.
"I went around back and saw the flames, so I started looking for a hose," Phil said.
He dragged the water hose from the front of the house and started putting out the flames.
"I wanted to get it out before it burned the house down," Phil said.
"I'm just thankful nobody was here, nobody got hurt," said homeowner Kristin Maxedon.
Investigators haven't officially confirmed that the hoverboard actually started the fire, but they did say it started right where the board was plugged in.
"I had seen one thing where one sparked or caught fire while someone was riding it but I hadn't heard anything else," Maxedon said.
If you bought one for Christmas, Maxedon has some advice for you.
"Take it back definitely. Do not plug up. Do not even take it out of the box. Just take it back. It's not worth it," Maxedon said.
WSBTV
