The aircraft was only 30 minutes away from landing at Don Mueang International Airport when smoke spread all over the cabin. Passengers on a Batik Air flight to Bangkok were left in a panic when a power bank of one of them caught fire, filling the cabin with smoke.
The accident occurred on February 24, as the flight was travelling from Johor Bahru, Malaysia, to Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft was only 30 minutes away from landing at Don Mueang International Airport when smoke started filling the cabin, as reported by The Straits Times.
A video of the scene, which has since become viral on social media, captures the anxious moments as smoke poured out from the overhead baggage compartment. Neighbouring passengers can be seen scrambling back quickly as flight attendants scramble to find the origin of the smoke.
The video also reveals the staff resorting to the use of an extinguisher to combat the flames, before later opening up the overhead compartment entirely to uncover thick white smoke. Passengers were then helped evacuate their personal belongings.
The reason why several Airlines are revising rules on carriage condition of Power banks! A mobile charger (Power bank) triggered panic on a Malaysian Batik Air flight from Johor Bahru (Malaysia) to Bangkok recently. It was reported that smoke was emanating from a burning
A male, who is thought to be the owner of the power bank, is spotted picking up a black bag before being led to the rear of the plane by a flight attendant.
The incident serves to show the risks involved in carrying lithium-ion batteries, which are also used in power banks and mobile phone batteries. The batteries are delicate and have a tendency to swell, thus being vulnerable to igniting in case of damage or exposure to excessive heat.
This is not the first instance of a power bank inciting a fire on a commercial flight. In reaction to such an incident, previously in February, South Korean carrier Air Busan issued a ban on keeping power banks in overhead bins, after such an incident on January 28, when one of its aircraft was engulfed in flames.
