TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As a Scoot airlines plane prepared to take off from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport bound for Singapore on Tuesday night (Jan. 10), a power bank caught fire, filling the cabin with smoke and injuring two passengers, and leading to the cancelation of the flight.
The Taoyuan International Airport Corporation issued a press release stating it had received notification from the tower at about 7:40 p.m. Scoot Flight TR993 was taxiing on the ground and about to take off when the blaze broke out. Crew members quickly extinguished the fire, while the aircraft was guided back to the apron for inspection and all 189 passengers safely exited the plane.
The airport said the fire was caused by a passenger's power bank that caught fire, and two passengers suffered minor injuries, including slight burns to the hands and a bruise on the bridge of the nose. The fire did not affect other flights at the airport.
(CNA photo)
A passenger told PTS Taiwan that smoke suddenly started emitting from a bag, while its owner threw it on the ground, and it erupted in flames. The passenger said that smoke started billowing, and flight attendants grabbed fire extinguishers to put out the fire.
Another passenger said that when the fire broke out, Scoot crew members "immediately grabbed fire extinguishers and sprayed them to put out the fire. After spraying the fire extinguishers, there was a lot of smoke, so photos make it look smoky." However, the passenger said that the flames were not that large, similar to "burning joss paper we commonly use at home."
(Facebook, new.reporter image)
In addition to arranging for passengers to clear customs, Scoot will also reschedule flights and provide accommodation and meals for those affected. Scoot emphasized that maintaining the safety of passengers and crew is its top priority, and the Taiwan Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the incident.
The injured passengers decided to continue on the same flight, while six passengers decided to make other arrangements.
Passengers consulting with airline staff after incident. (CNA photo)
The airline is compensating passengers for transportation expenses to return to their residences or accommodations until they can get on the next flight. The flight from Taipei to Singapore has been rescheduled to depart at 7:35 p.m. on Wednesday evening and arrive in Singapore at 12:20 a.m. on Thursday (Jan. 12).