Fire breaks out on Scoot flight after power bank overheats, extinguished by cabin crew

A small fire broke out on a Scoot flight from Hong Kong to Singapore on Saturday (Nov 22) when a passenger’s power bank overheated. 

The incident was documented by a user on social media platform Xiaohongshu, who posted a video of cabin crew extinguishing the fire. No injuries were reported.

The passenger had noticed a "strong burning smell" towards the end of the flight and thought a laptop had caught fire.

In the video, cabin crew are seen gathering and putting an item into a large plastic bag near the front of the plane.

According to the passenger, the cabin crew took a long time putting out the fire with water and a fire extinguisher.

She said passengers were only informed of the fire through an announcement by the pilot after landing, and that passengers were not allowed to disembark until firefighters checked the cabin.

"There was some panic as we were unsure if the situation was fully resolved. The smell of smoke and chemicals added to the discomfort," she reportedly told The Straits Times.

Another passenger also commented on the Xiaohongshu post with a picture of the cabin wall that appeared to be burnt.

A Scoot spokesperson confirmed the incident on flight TR939, adding that airport emergency services were on standby upon the plane’s arrival in Singapore.

"All passengers and crew disembarked normally after the aircraft landed uneventfully in Singapore at 9.06pm on Nov 22," said the spokesperson.

"Scoot sincerely apologises for the disruption and inconvenience caused. The safety of our customers and crew remains our top priority."

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dana.leong@asiaone.com