Electric Fidget Spinners Pose a Fire Hazard

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Last Updated on December 27, 2019 by Danielle

Exploding Electric Fidget Spinners

Beware of electric fidget spinners as they pose a fire hazard.

Fidget spinners are all the rage this year and are causing quite a commotion in the world of toys. Now reports have surfaced that electronic fidget spinners may pose a fire hazard. A few years back the hottest toy – hoverboards – were catching fire and now the new hot toy on the block is catching on fire, too.

According to reports, these popular toys have been catching fire by simply charging them. This has been reported in at least two US states. In Alabama, after just 45 minutes of charging the spinner burst into flames. The toy melted and ended up burning a nearby rug. Meanwhile, in Michigan, in just half an hour, a child’s spinner caught fire and it was really scary as it almost set her entire house on fire. The common thread between these two spinners is that they were both electric versions with Bluetooth functionality. At least one of the spinners didn’t include a charger so they ended up using any available charger that worked which may not be the best idea.

You always should be extra cautious when dealing with electricity and electrical charging devices. If the charging cable is not included in the package, we advise you to cease using the fidget spinner altogether to prevent a similar situation that could prove to burn down a house or even worse take a loved one’s life.

If we takeaway anything from these situations, it’s that we need to be aware of the situation and we need to take action to prevent the same thing from reoccurring. Of course, you always want to make sure you are buying from a reputable seller and question a product when the charger is not included. Be extra cautious of imports because everyone is trying to jump in on this phenomenon and they are simply rushing to market to make a quick buck. Safety is perhaps not a top priority for them and this is not good news for consumers and children. The culprit is a lack of safety standards in place and exploding batteries in the case of these electric fidget spinners. An investigative unit is in the process of investigating these fire cases caused by battery-powered fidget spinners.

Of course, ordinary non-electric fidget spinners aren’t going to explode since they don’t have any batteries or electrical components, but they still could pose a choking hazard to children younger than three years of age. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has already issued a warning to ensure these young children don’t play with fidget spinners due to the potential choking hazard. They contain small parts that can easily break and cause a child to choke. We should heed that warning.

So what can be done to prevent spinner fires? First, always buy from reputable companies. Although this may be common sense, not everyone is following this practice and they end up with products with either poor quality lacking basic safety standards or spinners without any supplied charger. Periodically keep an eye on your spinner as it is charging. Don’t leave it unattended; for instance, don’t leave it charging overnight when you can’t keep a close eye on it. You need to vigilantly monitor it to ensure it doesn’t catch fire. Only use the charger supplied with the spinner. If it doesn’t include one; we advise you to cease usage. Never overcharge your spinner. It’s also a best practice to allow your spinner to cool prior to charging it. Further, The Toy Association suggests that parents shouldn’t allow children to play with battery-powered electric spinners if they lack a locking component for the battery.

WATCH (World Against Toys Causing Harm), a consumer watchdog organization, placed hoverboards and fidget spinners on a list identifying dangerous toys. WATCH’s president recommends parents do the necessary research before making their toy purchase. She made an excellent point: Just because a toy is popular that doesn’t mean we should take shortcuts and automatically believe it is safe for our children.

Source: Forbes

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