SAUGUS — A defective lead-acid battery power source was to blame for an animal-shaped toy ride at the Square One Mall catching fire on Sunday, according to the Saugus Fire Department.
According to the owners of the Animal Rides toy kiosk, their staff noticed the unit was overheating and quickly responded to the incident. The fire department said the fire was extinguished by good samaritans prior to their arrival at the scene.
The incident prompted outrage in the community following video footage of the fire that was shared on social media. Some community members have made claims that a child was on the toy when it “exploded.” But owners of the kiosk refuted this claim, saying that the ride simply caught fire and that the last rider had already left the location before the incident occurred.
Patricia Wadman commented on the video that was shared on Facebook, stating that the toys should be banned because they are a hazard. Social media user Anthony Guarino added that the entire mall needs to be torn down because it is a hazard.
“The video that was posted has been reported numerous times for false information,” said Animal Rides management. “The exaggeration of the incident was posted for the sake of gaining views.”
In a statement, the fire department confirmed that the toy was not being used at the time and that no one was injured during the incident.
The business has been in operation for five years and representatives say that they never once had an issue like this. The company said it is also making efforts to ensure that problems with the batteries are fixed.
“Naturally, the safety of our customers is our top priority,” said the owners. “We have contacted the battery-distribution company to inform them of this defect and requested a recall of the batteries. All batteries from the manufacturer of this brand have been removed from the rides to ensure there are no concerns for future customers.”
On its website, the company also boasts that its rides have other safety features, including padded seating and calibrated speed control.
Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Corinne Riley said she was relieved that no one was hurt in the incident.
“I understand the business owner was replacing all the batteries in those ride-on toys, and I hope they will monitor them closely,” she said. “Thankfully, there was someone nearby that quickly extinguished (the fire), and the Saugus Fire Department arrived quickly and it didn’t get out of control and was contained where it occurred.”
The kiosk has since reopened and kids are back on the toy rides. In a statement, the Fire Department disputed social media claims that the ride remains dangerous.
“At this time the Saugus Fire Department has no reason to believe that there is a further danger to the public,” the statement said.
