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NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — A private Rhode Island university has banned hoverboards on campus after federal officials announced a safety investigation amid reports that the self-balancing scooters are exploding.
The Newport Daily News reports (http://bit.ly/1JfwEFz ) Michael Caruolo, the director of safety and security at Salve Regina University, issued an order Monday banning hoverboards in dorms, academic buildings and elsewhere.
Caruolo says increasing reports of hoverboard fires prompted him to issue the ban. He says the university will reconsider if the danger of fire is eliminated.
Reports have indicated the boards' lithium ion batteries may be causing the explosions and fires. A spokesman with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission told reporters that it was examining the safety of the entire product line.
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Information from: The Newport Daily News.
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