Passengers aboard a Batik Air flight experienced a scare on February 24 when smoke filled the cabin, reportedly due to an overheating power bank stored in an overhead compartment, The Straits Time reported.
The flight, which departed Johor Bahru at 11:20 am, was just 30 minutes away from landing at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok when the incident occurred.
A video shared on TikTok by user kentmaherr, which has already garnered over 2.1 million views, shows thick smoke emerging from an overhead bin. Passengers described the smell of burning and expressed shock as flight attendants quickly responded to locate the source and extinguish the fire.
Crew members used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames and later removed the black bag containing the power bank, moving it to the rear of the aircraft where water was poured over it to fully cool it down.
The situation was brought under control within minutes, and no injuries were reported. Emergency teams were on standby upon the plane’s arrival to ensure everyone’s safety.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over lithium battery fires on planes. In fact, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration recorded an average of three similar cases every two weeks in early 2024, a rise from weekly cases reported in 2018. Meanwhile, South Korea has announced plans to ban power banks and e-cigarettes from being stored in overhead bins following a recent fire on an Air Busan aircraft.
