Virgin Australia’s flight on fire: Blaze is likely to be caused by a power bank in central-hwa on the Sydney-Hobart route; Airlines to review battery policies
A suspected fire by a power bank in Carrie-on items forced an emergency response from Sydney to Hobart to Hobart on an Australia flight, inspiring the airline to review its lithium battery policies.The incident occurred during the dynasty on Flight VA1528, when smoke and flames were seen from an overhead locker.
The cabin crew rapidly extinguished the fire before the aircraft landed safely. On arrival, firefighters removed the affected bag from the compartment.According to virgin Australia, passengers or flight crew were not hurt, which issued a statement, quoted by the Guardian, saying, “The safety of our guests and crew is always our highest priority, and we appreciate our cabin crew for their quick action in incorporating the incident. We also want to thank the emergency service teams who met the aircraft on arrival. ,Matt Cocker, Chief Operating Officer at Hobart Airport, said that all passengers safely submerged the aircraft into the aircraft and a person was assessed by paramedics for inhalation of suspected smoke.The airline is now investigating the cause of fire in coordination with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Virgin Australia indicated that the incident could change its battery safety protocol.Currently, lithium-ion batteries, including power banks and spare batteries, are limited to carry-on goods. The CASA has long advised passengers about the risks associated with lithium-managed equipment, which may overheet, short-circuit or ignite.Casa warns that “the fire of lithium battery may be difficult to extinguish” and says that specific Australian travelers now carry at least four rechargeable battery-operated equipment.The agency has also clarified that while items like laptops or cameras can be stored in checking items. If fully operated, loose batteries and power banks should remain in cabin bags.According to CASA, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACC) registered a 92 percent increase in incidents related to lithium battery between 2020 and 2022.The incident of Hobart follows the January 1 fire in an air Busan Airbus in South Korea, causing full withdrawal of 176 passengers and crew. Investigators blamed the fire that destroyed the aircraft, a defect to the power bank.In response to rising concerns, several airlines, including Singapore Airlines, have introduced strict rules. Singapore Airlines now banned the use of power bank during flights completely.Meanwhile, Virgin Australia stated that he would review his policies about the car of lithium battery-powered equipment to ensure increased safety for all passengers “.
