London-bound flight descends into panic after passenger’s vape explodes: ‘Smoke coming towards us’
Dramatic videos show plane passengers racing to escape down emergency slides after a vape exploded in a carry-on bag.
All 236 passengers were forced to evacuate the easyJet flight from Greece to London Gatwick Airport on Tuesday after smoke suddenly filled the cabin just before takeoff — with some screaming false fears that there was a “bomb,” according to the Independent.
“I could smell and see smoke coming towards us from the front of the plane,” Malachi Griffith, who was traveling with his dad, told Storyful.
“Then a girl ran down the aisle with a bag…with smoke [coming] out of it and then there was a cracking noise, which was the sound of the flames,” he said, saying it “caused panic.”
Griffith was one of those who filmed fellow flyers racing to get out to safety on the emergency slides. Although no one was injured by fire, one passenger reportedly suffered friction burns from the slide.
A power bank and e-cigarettes in a passenger’s carry-on appeared to be the source of the fire, according to officials.
“EasyJet can confirm that flight EZY8216 from Heraklion to London Gatwick was evacuated during boarding prior to departure on 17 September, due to a fire in a passenger’s cabin bag,” the company told the Independent in a statement.
“Fire services attended the aircraft and cabin crew evacuated the aircraft in line with procedures.
“Customers were looked after in the terminal while a replacement aircraft and crew were arranged to fly customers home later the same day. Safety is our highest priority.”
Although uncommon, vape explosions can be dangerous to those vaping or in surrounding areas. Added dangers occur when vape fires come into contact with propellants such as oxygen, propane, and gasoline, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.
This wasn’t the only tech-related incident to set a cabin ablaze this year.
In July, an American Airlines flight was evacuated and three passengers were injured at San Francisco International Airport after a fire was started by a passenger’s laptop.
