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Several colleges in Utah restricting or banning hoverboards on campus

Posted at 10:33 PM, Jan 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-09 00:34:44-05

UTAH -- If any Utah college students got hoverboards for Christmas, they may need to leave them at their parent's house, as a few Utah colleges are banning the new gadgets.

Steve Ford, the fire marshal at Weber State University, says he would rather be safe than sorry after news surfaced about the motorized scooters causing fires and serious injuries.

Weber State University banned the hoverboards last week after learning about the potential hazards. Students are not allowed to ride them on campus or keep them in the dorms. There's a similar policy at Southern Utah University in Cedar City.

At the University of Utah, the hoverboards are still allowed on campus, but students living in the dorms have been told they can't bring them into the residence halls.

At Utah Valley University, the hoverboards are allowed on campus, but not inside any of the buildings.

Students at Weber State don't return from winter break until Monday, but some are already expressing their frustration with the new policy.

"I just met with 30 students yesterday, and there is a reaction. They’re asking if we can just ride them in the parking lot, and the fire marshal said no," Ford said.

The deputy state fire marshal says, at this point, they are not looking into a policy regarding hoverboards in public spaces but says that could change.