[Sportschosun Jang Jong-ho] A British Airways passenger plane that was set to depart Japan for the United Kingdom experienced an incident believed to have been caused by a smartphone fire, filling the cabin with smoke.
According to Japanese media outlets, including Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), smoke was reported inside the British Airways aircraft around 1:10 p.m. on the 18th while it was waiting to take off at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport).
An investigation found that the fire likely started in a smartphone believed to have been carried by a passenger.
Flight attendants immediately used onboard fire extinguishers to put out the blaze, and the fire was quickly brought under control.
At the time of the incident, there were 211 people on board, including passengers and crew members, and no injuries were reported.
For safety, the aircraft was moved to the apron for inspection. After being cleared, it later departed as scheduled for London, United Kingdom.
Japanese aviation authorities are investigating the exact cause of the fire and the condition of the smartphone battery.
In recent years, the global aviation industry has faced growing safety concerns as fire incidents involving lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones and portable chargers have continued to occur.
Lithium-ion batteries can suddenly produce smoke or catch fire through thermal runaway if they are damaged by impact, overheated, or develop internal defects.
An aviation industry official said, "Initial response is the most important factor in incidents involving lithium-ion batteries," adding, "Passengers should avoid bringing products with damaged batteries or signs of overheating onto aircraft."
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
