RIDGELEY, W.Va. — A house fire in Mineral County was being blamed on a hoverboard malfunction.
At about 1 a.m. Tuesday fire crews were called to a house on Ridgeley’s Main Street, according to Steve Shipley, deputy chief of the Ridgeley Volunteer Fire Department.
When firefighters arrived, they say they found a hoverboard that was plugged into a wall outlet to recharge had malfunctioned and caught fire.
Shipley said he was surprised how quickly the fire had spread up the walls and across the ceiling.
The owner’s son, using quick thinking, grabbed an extinguisher and attempted to put out the fire before leaving the structure.
Damage was estimated at $1,000.
The hope, Shipley said, is that the fire can serve as a learning experience for others. The hoverboard owner has donated the device to the Ridgeley Volunteer Department for use in future fire prevention education.
Shipley’s reminding residents never to charge a hoverboard overnight or leave one unattended.