A fire aboard a United Airlines plane flying to New Jersey forced it to return to San Diego International Airport and four people were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, authorities said.
Flight 2664 was en route to Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey when an external battery carried by a passenger caught fire shortly after takeoff Tuesday morning.
Passenger Caroline Lipinski told KFMB-TV that smoke began to rise from a first-class passenger’s suitcase shortly after takeoff. “He dropped something on the ground and it was a battery charger pack or something from his laptop, and it went up in flames,” she claimed. “There was smoke in the cabin, I was terrified,” she added.
Passenger Stephan Jones said some passengers were “gasping and screaming” as flight attendants ran to the front of the plane with fire extinguishers.
The crew placed the battery in a special bag to prevent the flames from spreading, and the Boeing 737 returned to the airport safely at 7:30.
Four passengers received treatment for smoke inhalation at a hospital, UC San Diego Health said in a statement.
United Airlines said several attendants were taken to the hospital out of an abundance of caution and thanked the crew for their “swift actions to prioritize the safety of everyone on board.”
The rest of the passengers left for New Jersey on another plane at 11:45 a.m., KSWB-TV reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the incident.
Lithium batteries, commonly used in electronic devices, tend to overheat and cause flames. Airlines allow them in cabin baggage, but not in the hold.
