In a shocking event at San Francisco International Airport, passengers aboard an American Airlines flight bound for Miami found themselves in a terrifying situation when smoke began to fill the cabin. The source? A laptop. The incident unfolded on Friday afternoon as passengers were boarding American Airlines Flight AA2045. Just as the Airbus A321 was preparing to depart, chaos erupted when smoke began to emanate from a laptop inside a passenger's bag. Crew members sprang into action, swiftly removing the smoking laptop and bag from the aircraft.
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New video shows the frantic moments after a laptop battery caught fire inside an American Airlines flight at SFO. Flight attendants and the pilot can be heard telling passengers to leave their bags and get off the plane. At least three people were injured during the evacuation.… pic.twitter.com/uirfiQ9i9E
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) July 13, 2024
In the midst of the commotion, passengers scrambled to evacuate the plane, with some using emergency slides to exit. The scene was one of panic and confusion as people rushed to safety. One passenger sustained minor injuries while exiting the plane, requiring transport to a hospital. Two other passengers also reported minor injuries, according to the San Francisco Fire Department, which responded to the incident. The San Francisco Fire Department arrived on the scene to extinguish the source of the smoke, which had been identified as the laptop. The airport confirmed that three people suffered minor injuries during the evacuation, although none of them needed to be taken to the hospital.
American Airlines issued a statement expressing gratitude to their crew members for their professionalism and apologizing to their customers for the inconvenience caused by the incident. The airline also stated that the bag containing the smoking laptop had been removed by their crew members and that all customers had exited the aircraft safely. The Federal Aviation Administration announced that it would be conducting an investigation into the incident. The flight, which was scheduled to depart San Francisco at 12:15 p.m. for Miami, was postponed and was set to leave SFO on Friday night at 11:15 p.m., about 11 hours after the evacuation.
This alarming incident serves as a reminder of the potential dangers of lithium-ion batteries in electronic devices and the importance of following safety guidelines when traveling with such items. Passengers are advised to ensure that their electronic devices are in good condition and that their batteries are not damaged or defective. Airlines and airport authorities also play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of their passengers and crew members by implementing and enforcing strict safety protocols.