Chennai: Smartphone catches fire onboard flight
The aircraft had a normal landing and passengers deplaned as per regular procedure.
Chennai: At a time when the South Korean company Samsung is struggling with the issue of exploding batteries on its latest Galaxy Note 7, a relatively old model Galaxy Note 2 caught fire on a Singapore-Chennai IndiGo flight mid-air on Friday morning.
The flight carrying 162 passengers and 5 crewmembers landed safely around 7.10 am, 20 minutes ahead of schedule after the fire was doused with crew members using a fire extinguisher.
According a communication from IndiGo, some passengers travelling in 6E-054 flight from Singapore to Chennai noticed smoke and a burning smell emanating from the hat rack of seat 23 C and informed the crew. It was immediately informed to the Pilot-in-Command who further alerted the ATC of the situation on board.
The cabin crew on priority relocated all passengers on other seats and further observed smoke being emitted from a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which was placed in the baggage of a passenger in the overhead bin. The crew transferred the phone into a container filled with water.
The aircraft had a normal landing and passengers deplaned as per regular procedure. IndiGo voluntarily informed the DGCA on the incident, an IndiGo statement read.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines to advise passengers to switch off their Samsung Galaxy Note phones while on board. The DGCA has also called Samsung officials for a meeting on September 26.
Samsung has been facing exploding batteries on its latest Galaxy Note 7 smartphone.