Despite the growing popularity of riding hoverboards around campus, the devices are no longer permitted in the residence halls.
Hoverboards were banned in residence halls earlier this semester for various reasons.
MSU spokesman Jason Cody said the self-balancing scooters are banned because the devices pose a safety threat and fire risk.
“There has been a lot of reporting on the fact the batteries in these devices are prone to explosions,” Cody said. “The decision was made earlier this year, earlier this semester, that hoverboards are no longer going to be allowed to be used in on-campus housing.”
Cody said there have not been any instances on campus of the devices catching fire.
“I don’t think we have had any incidents,” Cody said. “This is clearly a proactive measure we’re taking.”
Fire Marshal for MSU police Dennis Zietlow said while there have not been fires on campus, there have been numerous incidents of hoverboards catching fire.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the hoverboards might be recalled or seized if they do not meet new safety standards.
Zietlow said many of the units have not been officially tested and most of them are not tested as one complete unit but instead as separate parts.
“Maybe the batteries were tested but, when they put them all together, people started riding on them, bouncing and running into curbs and they found the lithium-ion batteries would rupture,” Zietlow said.
Zietlow said most of the fires happen while the device is charging.
“Until the companies can actually get these units tested properly to find out why these units are catching fire, we thought was in the best interest for students to not allow these to be in the dormitories because ... being charged up is where the fire happens a lot of time,” Zietlow said.
Zietlow said there is a possibility of the ban being lifted in the future.
“Down the road, once the companies begin to test the units, it could be an issue that would change down the road,” Zietlow said. “For right now, we don’t have the information to say if they should be stored or used in the building.”
