Power Bank Fire Causes Mid-Air panic on Flight โฃfrom Hangzhou to Seoul
A flight โขfromโข Hangzhou to Seoul experiencedโ a frightening incident whenโ a power bank ignited mid-air, filling theโค cabin with smoke and โคtriggering panic amongst passengers. The fire occurred on an โขAirbus A321 at an โฃaltitude of 10โข kilometers,โ originating in an overhead luggage compartment.
Cabin crew responded quickly and effectively, extinguishing the flames with fire extinguishers. The pilots immediately contacted airโ traffic โคcontrol, preparing for an emergency landing at Shanghai Pudong Airport. Fortunately, โขthe crew successfully contained the situation, allowing the plane โto landโ safely. โขNo โคinjuries to passengers or crew โwere reported.
Video footage โof the incident, circulating widely on social media, shows flamesโข eruptingโข from theโค overhead compartment as passengersโ react with โฃalarm and crew members โคwork to control the fire.
This incident highlightsโ the growing safety concerns surrounding portable โelectronic devices, especially power banks, which utilize lithium-ion โor lithium-polymer โbatteries.These batteriesโข can become fire hazardsโข if damaged, overheated, โor improperly handled. Current aviation regulations require passengers toโ carry power โขbanks in cabin luggage for easy access in case โฃof emergency.
In response to a rise in battery-related incidents, Emirates recently announced a ban on using or chargingโ power banks on boardโข their flights, effective October 1st. Passengers are still permitted โto carry one power bank in their cabin โbaggage, but it โis indeed prohibited in checked luggage.
according to โฃemirates, “The use โฃof power banks has grown considerably inโ recent years,โ leading to moreโ battery-related incidents in aviation.This measureโค aims to reduce such risks.”