Families Sue Distributors Of Hoverboard That Burst Into Flames, Killing 2 Girls

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Family members are suing the distributors of a hoverboard that burst into flames, causing a Pennsylvania house fire that killed two young girls.

The lawsuit filed last month comes a little more than a year after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a LayZ Board sparked the fire that killed 2-year-old Ashanti Hughes and 10-year-old Savannah Dominick at their Harrisburg home in March 2017.

The lawsuit says that the importers and distributors of the hoverboard were negligent for continuing to market the device even though it posed a risk of overheating and igniting. The commission concluded a hoverboard caused the fire by exploding while it was being charged.

It also names the landlords of the home, saying it lacked working smoke detectors.

Phone numbers for the owner of LayZ Board rang unanswered Friday. Messages seeking comment from the distributor weren't returned.

The families are seeking more than $500,000 in damages.

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