Passengers on a flight from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport to Seoul experienced a terrifying situation when an overhead locker caught fire due to a lithium battery igniting inside carry-on luggage. The Air China flight, carrying 160 passengers and crew, had to make an emergency landing in Shanghai after the fire broke out, filling the cabin with smoke.
Amidst panic and screams from passengers, cabin crew rushed to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the situation was quickly brought under control. The airline, Air China, confirmed that the fire was caused by a lithium battery in a passenger’s carry-on luggage stored in the overhead compartment.
Following the incident, the flight was diverted to Shanghai Pudong International Airport for safety reasons. Passengers were then transferred to another aircraft that took them to their intended destination in Seoul. Videos and photos shared online captured the chaotic scene onboard, with visible scorch marks on several rows of seats from the fire.
While the specific details about the device that caused the fire remain undisclosed, this incident adds to a series of safety concerns involving lithium batteries on flights in the region. Earlier incidents this year have highlighted the risks associated with these batteries, including a similar case on a China Southern Airlines flight and an Air Busan flight where power banks were involved in causing fires.