Passengers onboard a flight witnessed a frightening incident as an overhead compartment caught fire, prompting an emergency landing due to smoke filling the cabin. The alarming situation unfolded on an Air China flight departing from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport to Seoul with 160 passengers and crew members onboard.
Panic ensued when a lithium battery inside a passenger’s carry-on luggage ignited, leading to flames erupting suddenly. Passengers and cabin crew were seen frantically moving through the aisle, with one individual attempting to locate the source of the fire in the overhead locker.
Amidst screams for urgency, crew members swiftly acted with a fire extinguisher to extinguish the flames. Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion before the fire broke out, heightening the tension onboard the aircraft.
In response to the incident, Air China confirmed that the lithium battery in a passenger’s carry-on luggage had spontaneously ignited. Despite no injuries reported, the flight, CA139, was diverted to Shanghai Pudong International Airport for safety precautions.
The aircraft landed in Shanghai around 11 am, as per Flightradar24 data, and passengers were later transferred to another plane bound for Seoul. Disturbing videos and photos circulating online captured the intensity of the fire and ensuing smoke, with visible scorch marks on multiple rows of seats.
Although the cause of the fire was attributed to a lithium battery, specific details about the device or manufacturer remain undisclosed. This incident adds to a series of flight-related incidents involving lithium batteries in the region this year, highlighting the potential risks associated with such items during air travel.
