PLANE SCARY

Mid-Air Freak Out on Virgin Flight as Passenger’s Carry-On Bursts into Flames

The crew had to use unconventional methods–with the help of passengers—to extinguish the blaze

A Virgin Australia flight was plunged into pandemonium when a fire broke out in the cabin while mid-air. Passengers and crew on the route from Sydney to Tasmania were shocked to open up an overhead storage locker to find what eyewitnesses described to Pulse Tasmania as a lithium-ion battery ablaze inside someone’s luggage. The Boeing 737-8FE had begun its descent by the time the fire was detected, with panicked footage from the scene showing stewards being passed bottles of water by passengers to help tackle the blaze. The Daily Beast has contacted Virgin Australia for further details on what caused the incident. Hobart Airport COO Matt Cocker said all passengers disembarked safely, although one person had been taken for medical treatment with suspected smoke inhalation, according to the Pulse, which was told by Virgin: “Safety is always our highest priority. We appreciate the swift and professional response of our flight and cabin crew, as well as the support of Airservices Australia firefighters”.