Consumers advised to be vigilant with hoverboards

Consumers are being warned about the potential fire hazard caused by hoverboards that don't comply with safety standards.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has already called on numerous shops and retailers to withdraw certain brands of hoverboards that are potentially unsafe.

The agency has said it is particularly concerned the potential dangers posed by the boards battery and charging devices.

The commission's spokesperson Fergal O'Leary has said people should never leave a hoverboard unattended while it is charging.

“The absolute worst scenario is that you have one of these charging underneath a Christmas tree,” said O'Leary.

“If there are issues with non-compliance - with the plugs, the chargers, the battery packs - they’re big devices and the potential for something going wrong is sufficient.

“Obviously we’re not trying to create panic or anything like that, but what we are doing is making know to consumers that they should be careful with these items as we have found a lot of non-compliance.”