Power Bank Fire Erupts at Gimhae Check-In
A commotion broke out as passengers evacuated after flames suddenly shot up from the bag of a traveler waiting to check in inside an airport terminal. With fires caused by power banks occurring frequently on aircraft in recent months, a similar incident at an airport ground counter has heightened co
At Gimhae International Airport, a fire erupted from the bag of a traveler waiting to check in, causing passengers to evacuate. This incident, which occurred around 7:30 p.m. on October 23, raised concerns about battery safety management after recent power bank-related fires on aircraft. The bag, belonging to a man, had a mobile phone charging using a power bank at the time of the fire.
Fortunately, another passenger swiftly extinguished the flames using a fire extinguisher found nearby, preventing a major accident. The incident occurred while the passengers were scheduled to fly to Cebu, Philippines, on a Jin Air flight. A witness reported that the fire was put out by an ordinary passenger, not airline staff, and that the extinguisher had to be located due to a delay.
Jin Air reported the fire to the relevant agencies immediately, in accordance with their manual. Korea Airports Corporation, responsible for fire extinguisher placement and management, stated that regulations were followed, with one extinguisher every 20 meters. However, the official acknowledged that panic may have hindered passengers' ability to find it quickly.
Power bank-related fires have been increasing, with three other incidents confirmed at major airports within a month. On October 25, an overheated power bank caused smoke on a Hong Kong-bound aircraft at Jeju International Airport, leading to a passenger's burns. On October 10, a fire on a Cheongju-to-Jeju flight delayed operations for over five hours.
In September, a power bank fire on an Air Seoul plane from Incheon to Da Nang also broke out before takeoff, adding to the growing concern over battery safety.
Written by urgent.news from BusinessKorea's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
