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Fire at 24,000 Feet on Flight from Nanjing

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The issue of battery-charging packs on board aircraft is back in the headlines after a flight from Nanjing was forced to return following an open fire in the cabin yesterday, 4 September.

China Eastern Airlines flight MU2809 departed Nanjing Lukou International Airport 17 minutes late yesterday, at 07:17 am. It was 170 nautical miles south of Nanjing and at at height of 7,200 metres (23,600 feet) when the fire started, resulting in scarring to the cabin wall.

The personal electronic device responsible was a battery pack of 40.7Wh, satisfying security regulations that state such may not be carried as checked baggage but may as hand luggage in the cabin so long as its markings and outer case are intact.

The Lithium-Ion battery pack self ignited inside the aircraft cabin, whereupon cabin crew were able to quickly and safely extinguish the fire, before making the decision for the flight to return to Nanjing as a precaution. The flight touched down back in Lukou 1 hour and 5 minutes after its initial departure.

An arrival in Xiamen 4 hours late was the result for shocked passengers, after being transferred to another Airbus A320 aircraft.

The incident is the latest occurrence of fire on a civilian airliner. Since the beginning of last year, fires caused by battery packs have broken out on flights by Virgin Atlantic, Ryan Air and Frontier Airlines.

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