Qantas is reviewing its policy on passengers carrying lithium batteries after an incident at its airport lounge in Melbourne. - AFP
SINGAPORE: A man suffered burns to his leg and fingers after a lithium power bank in his pocket caught fire while he was at a Qantas-run business lounge in Melbourne on Thursday (Nov 6).
Witnesses told Australia’s The Age newspaper the power bank seemed to have overheated while inside the man’s pocket.
The device burst into flames, filling the lounge with acrid smoke and forcing over 150 people to evacuate.
Employees at the lounge helped the man – reported to be in his 50s – into a shower before paramedics arrived to treat his injuries. He was taken to the hospital in a stable condition and later discharged.
A witness said they saw “battery acid flying everywhere”.
A Qantas spokesman said the lounge was cleaned and re-opened two hours later.
Writing on Instagram, Australian film producer Leanne Tonkes said she was in the lounge when she heard a commotion. She posted an image of the burnt power bank moments after it had exploded.
“Hoping the man who caught fire holding it is ok,” she wrote. “Quick thinking from the man who jumped in to help and the staff who got him in the shower and everyone else out of the lounge.”
Qantas said it is reviewing its policy on passengers carrying lithium batteries, including portable power banks.
Many carriers now advise passengers travelling with power banks to keep them within reach – either in a seat pocket or in a bag under the seat in front of them – rather than in overhead compartments, where fires are harder to access quickly.
In July, a Virgin Australia flight from Sydney to Hobart was forced to respond to a fire that broke out in an overhead locker, which was later traced to a power bank.
The airline said it, too, is reviewing its safety procedures and has urged passengers to keep portable batteries “in sight and within easy reach” while onboard.
Power banks have been linked to several recent aviation fires.
In January, one was believed to have caused a blaze that destroyed a passenger plane in South Korea.
Airlines including Emirates, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Korean Air and Singapore Airlines have banned the use and charging of power banks during flights.
Most carriers also restrict the number and capacity of rechargeable batteries that passengers may bring onboard, with some allowing no more than two devices rated between 100 and 160 watt-hours. - The Straits Times/ANN
