Airline Passenger's Power Bank Explodes, Backpack Catches Fire At Airport [Video]

An airline passenger's backpack caught fire after a portable power bank exploded inside the bag. The incident took place in Thailand’s Chiang Mai International Airport last week.

CCTV footage of the incident posted on the airport’s Facebook’s page Thursday shows the traveler walking in front of the airport’s passenger terminal when flames emerge from the lower portion of the backpack. The woman immediately runs and throws the bag on the ground. She then pulls her bag in an attempt to save the remaining items. However, the power bank falls from the bag and the flames disappear within seconds.

A while later, a security guard can be seen taking a photo of the power bank when the device again catches fire and spins around. The shocked guard immediately runs away.

“Take a moment to imagine this happening inside an aircraft. This is the answer to why airlines are so strict about not allowing power banks on airplanes,” the post along with the video said.

On Friday, officials said they believe the power bank exploded after a liquid from the traveler's cosmetics or water bottle spilled on it. Though the traveler’s belongings were damaged, no one was injured in the incident. The brand of the power bank was not known.

In a similar incident in February last year, passengers onboard a China Southern Airlines flight were evacuated after a portable power bank caught fire. Passengers were boarding the flight when they noticed fire in an overhead compartment. Flight attendants immediately evacuated the passengers and alerted the firefighters who brought the blaze under control. Investigation revealed the fire was caused by a power bank that was there in a passenger’s bag. The owner of the bag said the device was not in use when the incident took place. Video of the incident showed flight attendants trying to put out the fire using water and juice.