Air China flight CA139 from Hangzhou to Seoul made an emergency diversion to Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Saturday morning after a lithium battery in a passenger’s carry-on bag caught fire mid-flight.
Footage shared online (see at the bottom of the article) shows flames erupting from an overhead bin, with cabin crew swiftly responding using fire extinguishers to contain the blaze. Thanks to their quick action, the fire was extinguished within minutes and no injuries were reported among the 170 passengers and crew on board.
The aircraft landed safely in Shanghai, where passengers were transferred to a replacement aircraft to continue their journey.
Air China confirmed the incident, stating that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the battery malfunction.
Fire breaks out in the overhead luggage bin on board Air China flight CA139 while flying between Hangzhou and Seoul.
It is understood that the cause of the fire was a lithium battery in a passenger’s luggage spontaneously combusting.
The cabin crew contained the fire and the… pic.twitter.com/IV5LEYxIy5
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