Video shows thick smoke engulfing the cabin of a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight after a passenger’s power bank burst into flames minutes after take-off. Footage taken by journalist Simone Malagoli and obtained by CBS News shows passengers covering their faces and cabin crew putting out the blaze using fire extinguishers on a flight between São Paulo, Brazil, and Amsterdam. “Smoke was detected on board due to a burning power bank,” the airline said, adding that the crew “quickly extinguished the device” before the jet continued on to land safely with no injuries on Tuesday. Portable chargers powered by lithium-ion cells are allowed only in carry-on bags because of overheating risks. The incident comes a month after a Delta jet diverted to Fort Myers, Florida, when a battery pack ignited. Federal Aviation Administration data reported late last year show lithium-battery fires on U.S. flights have soared 388 percent since 2015, now erupting nearly twice a week. Eighty-seven percent of flight attendants said in a recent survey that they’re worried about such blazes. The poll also found that a quarter of passengers packed lithium batteries in their checked bags.
Read it at CBS News
