Portable battery overheats, burns passenger on Hong Kong-to-Jeju flight

A passenger on an HK Express flight from Hong Kong to Jeju suffered a burn to her hand Sunday morning after a portable battery in her bag began overheating and smoking mid-flight.

The passenger, a Chinese national, burned her left thumb while taking the battery out of a bag stored under her seat, according to the Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters.

The headquarters received a report at around 6:22 a.m. that “a passenger suffered burns from heat and smoke from a portable battery aboard an HK Express flight from Hong Kong scheduled to land at Jeju International Airport.”

The plane was carrying 236 passengers and seven crew members. Firefighters arrived at the airport around 6:32 a.m. and waited for the aircraft to land.

Cabin crew immediately placed the battery in a fire containment bag, designed for in-flight battery fires, and submerged it in water.

Firefighters gave the passenger first aid after confirming there was no further fire risk on board. She declined ambulance transport and made her own way to a hospital, according to the fire authorities.

BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]