Passengers onboard a flight were left in shock as an overhead locker caught fire, prompting an emergency landing due to smoke filling the cabin. The incident occurred on an Air China flight departing from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport to Seoul, with 160 passengers and crew onboard. Amidst the chaos of flames erupting, passengers and cabin crew rushed to address the situation, with one individual attempting to locate the source of the fire within a carry-on bag’s locker.
The urgency escalated as passengers clamored for the crew to act swiftly, leading to the successful extinguishing of the flames with a fire extinguisher. Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion preceding the fire outbreak, adding to the distress onboard. Air China later confirmed that a lithium battery in a passenger’s carry-on luggage had spontaneously ignited, leading to the swift response from the crew. Despite no injuries, the plane was diverted to Shanghai Pudong International Airport for safety measures.
Following the incident, the aircraft landed in Shanghai, and passengers were transferred to another plane bound for Seoul. Video footage and images shared online depicted the intensity of the fire, with visible scorch marks on multiple seat rows. While the cause was attributed to a lithium battery, specific details about the device and manufacturer remain undisclosed.
This event marks the latest in a series of incidents involving lithium batteries on flights in the region this year. Previous incidents include a China Southern Airlines flight returning to the airport due to smoke from a passenger’s camera battery and power bank, as well as a fire caused by a spare power bank on an Air Busan flight resulting in minor injuries to passengers and crew.