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iStock/Thinkstock(HARRISBURG, Pa.) — A 3-year-old girl from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, died Saturday, following a Friday night fire that officials say was ignited by a hoverboard that was recharging.
The Lehigh County Coroner said Ashanti Hughes died Saturday morning. Her death, blamed on complications from burns, was ruled an accident.
She and two other girls from the home were airlifted to Lehigh Valley Hospital Friday night. Two other girls are in critical condition at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest, officials said.
The fire, which broke out around 7:45 p.m. Friday night, was ruled accidental and attributed to a hoverboard plugged in to recharge on the first floor, where family members were also present, Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said.
“They heard some sizzling and crackling in the hoverboard and shortly thereafter, it exploded in flames,” he said.
Enterline said hoverboards are “notorious for starting fires.”
“We’ve seen too many fires and too many fire fatalities as a result of these hoverboards,” he said.
A firefighter responding to the fire was fatally injured when his car was hit as he was heading to the station to pick up his gear, Enterline said.
Lt. Dennis DeVoe “was a leader in our department and the fire service as a whole,” Enterline said. “His passion for the fire service made each of us strive to be better in all we d. Our department and the City of Harrisburg are better because of his service.”
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