4 hospital after laptop battery caught fire on United Airlines flight | World news
Four people on a United Airlines flight, including flight attendants, were rushed to the hospital Tuesday after a laptop battery pack caught fire shortly after the plane took off from the airport. International San Diego. The plane returned safely and all four were treated for smoke inhalation, US broadcaster CNN reported.
“United Airlines Flight 2664 returned safely to San Diego International Airport around 7:30 a.m. local time after a customer’s battery pack ignited,” said airline spokesman Charles Hobart.
Caroline Lipinski, a passenger, told a local news channel that a few minutes after removing a bag belonging to someone in First Class she started smoking. “He threw something on the ground and it was a battery charger pack or something from his laptop… it burst into flames,” he said.
“There is smoke in the cabin … I’m scared,” he added.
Stephan Jones, a third passenger, said some people were ‘screaming … screaming’ as flight attendants grabbed fire extinguishers and rushed to the front of the plane.
The airline thanked the crew for putting the safety of everyone on board first. “We are grateful to our crew for their quick actions prioritizing the safety of everyone on board and making arrangements to get our customers to their destinations,” Hobart said.
Fire crews evacuated all passengers and crew, and four people were taken to hospital. Two others refused further treatment. The plane’s pilots who were blamed for the fire were among those taken to the hospital, CNN reported.
