A terrifying incident on an easyJet flight at Milan Malpensa airport left passengers in panic. During taxiing, the flight crew noticed smoke from a power bank inside the cabin and immediately initiated the evacuation of passengers.
Escape from Fire
The Airbus A320, which was en route to Prague, quickly aborted its flight and directed 146 passengers out using emergency slides. Images from the incident show the emergency evacuation of passengers rapidly descending from the slides.
Following the incident, ambulances and fire teams were dispatched to the scene, and passengers from other nearby flights were also evacuated as a precaution. Two passengers from the flight sustained minor injuries and were quickly taken to the hospital.
Cause of the Fire
According to reports, the Italian Air Accident Agency ANSV believes that an overheating lithium power bank caused the fire. Meanwhile, the easyJet website explicitly states that the use of power banks on its aircraft is prohibited and they must be carried in hand luggage.
This incident serves as another reminder of the dangers posed by electronic devices on flights, especially after the UK Civil Aviation Authority issued warnings in May about flight delays due to improperly packed electronic devices, including power banks.
