A passenger’s mobile phone caught fire in the cabin of an Alaska Airlines flight, prompting the flight crew to deploy evacuation slides to get all passengers safely off the aircraft.
Alaska Airline spokesperson Ray Lane said that the passenger’s mobile phone “overheated and began sparking” shortly after Flight AS751 from New Orleans (MSY) to Seattle Tacoma (SEA) landed on August 24, 2021, at about 8:30pm local time and was waiting for a gate.
The flight crew attempted to put the fire out and prevent the mobile phone from further smoking by using a battery containment bag and fire extinguishers. Due to the cabin’s hazy conditions, the crew deemed it necessary to deploy evacuation slides. All passengers were then transported to the airport terminal by bus. Two passengers received treatment at a local hospital for minor injuries. The flight had 129 passengers and 6 crew members onboard.