Bestselling hoverboards too hot to handle, taken off shelves

New York

SO-CALLED hoverboards, the two-wheeled, gliding motorised scooters that have taken over sidewalks and social media in recent months, are coming under greater scrutiny after reports of fires and explosions.

With the fad growing and people getting hurt, some online retailers are removing the products from their sites, and the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission is rushing to investigate as the Christmas shopping season rolls on.