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What do you do when your kids beg you for the latest shoes? If you’re like most of us, you probably find a good deal on them so both of you are happy. This is clearly the case in most households across America with the light-up shoe craze. Many children have at least one pair they enjoy jumping in while creating a personalized light show. After hearing this couple’s harrowing story about these novelty shoes, however, you may rethink that sneaker purchase.

In the town of Katy, Texas the Virag family had bought a pair of Jake and the Neverland Pirates light-up shoes for their 2-year-old son. One afternoon they noticed the windows of their SUV beginning to blacken. When the door was opened they noticed the strong smell of burned plastic. The couple was stunned to see a hole through the floor of the car, and the passenger seat melted. After putting out the fire, they sifted through the debris to find one of their son’s shoes as the likely culprit.

The father, Jovan, found one shoe burned nearly in half. He dissected the other to find what may be the root of the issue. It turns out that the lights in the shoes run on lithium batteries. These are the same batteries that caused trouble in the recently popular “hoverboards.” If these batteries get too hot, or are damaged, they cause an internal short which can result in the battery bursting into flame. This appears to have been the cause of the fire in the Virag’s vehicle, however, the case is still being investigated by the Fire Marshall. Payless, where the shoes were purchased, has pulled the shoes in question from their shelves. What is clear is that you should research these latest trends, and perhaps avoid them altogether.

Please make sure to SHARE this vital story with your friends and family.

H/T: WPS News

Read more: http://www.wimp.com/toddlers-light-up-shoes-spark-fire-inside-suv/