4 folks on a United Airways flight, together with flight attendants, have been rushed to hospital Tuesday after the battery pack of a passenger’s laptop computer caught fireplace shortly after the aircraft took off from the San Diego Worldwide Airport. The aircraft returned safely and all 4 have been handled for smoke inhalation, United States broadcaster CNN reported.
“United Airways Flight 2664 returned safely to San Diego Worldwide Airport round 7.30 am native time after a buyer’s battery pack ignited,” airline spokesperson Charles Hobart mentioned.
Caroline Lipinski, a passenger, instructed a neighborhood information channel that a couple of minutes after take-off a bag belonging to somebody in First Class started smoking. “He threw one thing on the bottom and it was a battery charger pack or one thing from his laptop computer… it burst into fireplace,” she mentioned.
“There was smoke within the cabin… I used to be terrified,” she added.
Stephan Jones, a 3rd passenger, mentioned some folks ‘have been gasping… screaming’ as flight attendants grabbed fireplace extinguishers and ran to the entrance of the aircraft.
The airline later thanked the crew for prioritising the security of everybody on board. “We thank our crew for his or her fast actions in prioritizing the security of everybody on board the plane and we’re making preparations to get our prospects to their locations,” Hobart mentioned.
Fireplace crews evacuated all passengers and crew, and 4 folks have been taken to the hospital. Two others declined additional remedy. Flight attendants who’re credited with containing the fireplace are amongst these taken to the hospital, CNN reported.