Terrifying moment passenger’s power bank bursts into flames in overhead locker on busy flight

THIS is the terrifying moment an overhead locker erupts into flames after a power bank spontaneously combusted on a busy flight. Shocking footage shows an employee opening the luggage compartment to reveal it is full of bright flames. An employee opens the luggage compartment to reveal it is full of bright flames Credit: X Luggage was grabbed from the locker as passengers panicked Credit: X Panicked passengers can be seen moving away from the blaze, including a parent quickly bringing his toddler to safety. Crew members then quickly retrieve bags from the overhead locker as the fire rages on. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The terrifying blaze broke out on China Eastern Airlines flight MU2421 from Lanzhou to Guiyang yesterday. Fortunately, the plane had already landed when the fire ignited. The Airbus A320 was taxiing towards the terminal at Guiyang at the time. Crew scrambled to successfully put the blaze out. Airport fire services arrived to assist and the passengers were able to disembark safely. Authorities said a portable battery in a passenger’s hand luggage had spontaneously ignited in the locker. Most read in The Sun Crew scrambled to successfully put the blaze out Credit: X Fire services arrived as the plane taxied Credit: X No injuries were reported from the crew or passengers after the fire and the plane itself suffered only minor smoke damage, according to the Aviation Safety Network. One passenger told Jimu news that the plane had just landed when others in front of him shouted “fire” and ran to the back of the aircraft. He said: “I thought the outside of the plane was on fire, but when I looked up, I saw flames coming out of the overhead luggage rack.” Another said crew told him not to panic and had extinguished the flames quickly and calmly. He said: “Fortunately, the plane had already landed – it was really terrifying.” The Sun contacted China Eastern Airlines for comment. It comes after a British Airways plane had to make an ­emergency landing in June after a portable phone charger exploded and caught fire at 30,000ft. The flight from London to Las Vegas was thrown into panic when the device charging a phone in a seat pocket blew up. Power banks are causing a growing number of serious issues on flights worldwide, the UK’s aviation regulator has warned as it encouraged passengers to check the rules. Jonathan Nicholson from the Civil Aviation Authority said restrictions like not putting the devices in checked luggage were not “for the sake of it”. It comes after The Sun revealed how a UK-bound EasyJet flight was diverted to Rome because a passenger had packed a charging power bank in hold luggage. Comment now