January 11, 2016
Be warned, Owls: flying through campus on your hoverboard is no longer allowed.
Temple University officials announced Friday that they are banning the device from all campus facilities, including academic buildings and residence halls.
School officials said the decision was made in light of "recent hazards related to hoverboards."
Since the device's have become more and more popular, reports of them catching fire have popped up all over the country because of issues with the lithium-ion batteries that power them.
In December, a hoverboard burst into flames at an Ocean County home, prompting fire officials to warn residents about the device's safety hazards.
Dozens of colleges across the country have banned the device from their campuses recently, including New Jersey's Kean University.
The device has also been the subject of several recent thefts and robberies in Philadelphia.
Temple officials say the policy takes effect for the 2016 spring semester, which began Monday.
The school officials did leave the possibility of reversing the ban open, saying in their announcement it would be in place "unless or until the university determines that appropriate standards can be implemented to reduce associated safety and fire risks."
