Flight Catches Fire Just Before Boarding, Videos Show Plane Engulfed In Smoke

An Air China passenger flight was significantly damaged after a fire broke out inside it. The incident took place at the Beijing Capital International Airport on Tuesday.

According to a statement from the airline, the crew was preparing passengers to board the flight when they noticed smoke from the front of the flight. This prompted an emergency evacuation.

"Smoke was detected during boarding in the storage unit of flight CA183, which was set to fly from Beijing to Tokyo. Crew members and airport staff have successfully put out the smoke,” the airline said, adding that no passengers were onboard the aircraft when the incident took place.

Videos of the incident showed smoke coming from the cargo compartment of the aircraft. However, no flames were seen in the videos. Reports suggest the roof of the plane was significantly damaged.

Meanwhile, the airport was “functioning normally” post the incident. The airline said the specific cause of the incident was under investigation.

The incident comes less than a week after seven passengers on board a Hawaiian Airlines flight were hospitalized after the flight from Oakland, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, was engulfed in smoke 20 minutes before landing. Photos and videos of the incident showed the cabin engulfed in thick smoke and passengers covering their mouths.

“We sincerely apologise to passengers for this incident and thank them, as well as first responders and airport officials, for their cooperation and assistance in a swift and safe evacuation. We are conducting a thorough inspection of the aircraft before returning it to service,” the airline said in a statement.