Power bank catches fire on board a Ryanair Boeing 737 from Barcelona to Ibiza; emergency evacuation initiated

On Tuesday afternoon 31 July, a Ryanair Boeing 737 was ready for take-off at Barcelona Airport -destination Ibiza Airport- when a fire started on board. The crew immediately launched the emergency procedures and evacuated the passengers via the inflatable slides. 

The aircraft taxied about forty meters towards the runway when suddenly a portable battery charger that was connected to a mobile phone caught fire. Thick smoke immediately filled the cabin, causing panic among the passengers.

One passenger commented to Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia: “Luckily I was in the front of the aircraft, a nervous pilot opened the emergency exit.”

All passengers were quickly evacuated yet some of them suffered minor burns while sliding from the escape devices.

According to Flightradar24-data the aircraft or another aircraft but registered as EI-FOL took off destination Ibiza about 4 hours and 30 minutes after the original time of departure.

Ryanair confirmed the incident to Aviation24.be: “Passengers on a Barcelona-Ibiza flight (on the ground in Barcelona on Tuesday (31 July) experienced an emergency evacuation caused by a mobile phone catching fire as it was being charged by a battery pack. All passengers were safely evacuated back to the terminal and cabin crew dealt with the mobile phone. Ryanair arranged a spare aircraft to re-accommodate these passengers who departed for Ibiza later that day.”