Officials Warn to Stop Use of This Electric Scooter Brand
Officials have issued a warning, advising people using specific electric scooters to discontinue their use immediately. This follows a tragic incident in which two people, including a 7-year-old, lost their lives in a fire ignited by a battery within the device. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) made this urgent announcement on Monday, specifically concerning the Toos Elite 60-volt electric scooters. These scooters were retailed under the “Zooz” and “Toos” brands, primarily in Toos Urban Ride stores in New York and online.
Fatal fire incident instigated by a lithium-ion battery in the electric scooter
The fatal fire incident took place on April 10, 2023, in a New York City apartment. Fire department officials determined that the fire was instigated by a lithium-ion battery in the scooter, which was being charged using a 48-volt charger also sold by Toos. The CPSC points out that the Toos Elite 60-volt electric scooter has not received certification from an accredited laboratory according to the relevant UL safety standards.
CPSC recommends that consumers stop using the Toos Elite 60-volt electric scooter.
“UL Solutions has issued a public notice concerning these 48-volt chargers because they bear unauthorized UL certification marks,” the agency said. “While the exact cause of the battery’s ignition in the fatal fire has yet to be determined, and due to the lack of safety testing or certification by an accredited laboratory, CPSC recommends that consumers stop using the Toos Elite 60-volt scooters regardless of the charger.” The CPSC also noted that Toos Urban Ride has not initiated a recall as per their standards. When contacted, a representative of Toos Urban Ride indicated that the business had closed and declined to provide further comments, as reported by CBS News.
Additionally, officials encourage consumers to promptly report any incidents involving the Toos scooters or chargers to the CPSC through SaferProducts.gov.
Last month, over fifteen products were recalled due to safety concerns, as reported by SafeKids.org. This month, the CPSC has issued warnings, advising consumers to stop using five potentially dangerous products. These include three distinct bicycle helmets: the Kopobob kids multi-purpose helmets, Cyclingsell Zacro bicycle helmets, and Vera Natura bicycle helmets, all of which do not adequately protect riders in case of an accident, posing a risk of head injury. Furthermore, consumers are cautioned against using unbranded Infant sling carriers available from various retailers such as Walmart.com, Amazon.com, Trendyhousehold.com, and potentially others because they do not meet the federal safety standards for sling carriers and could potentially lead to infants falling out or suffocation.