Fire breaks out on Air Seoul flight bound for Da Nang — power bank blamed

A fire broke out aboard an Air Seoul aircraft at Incheon International Airport before takeoff Thursday, as the plane was preparing to depart for Da Nang, Vietnam. The blaze originated in a passenger's power bank, which had reportedly been fitted with short-circuit prevention measures.

The fire began around 9 p.m. Thursday aboard Air Seoul flight RS511, bound for Da Nang from Incheon. It started in a bag stored under a passenger's seat, inside which investigators found a power bank in a pouch.

Cabin crew extinguished the fire, and fire trucks were dispatched to assess the situation and check on passengers' health. Some passengers reported respiratory discomfort, but none required hospital treatment.

There were 221 passengers and seven crew members on board at the time. Many were families heading to Da Nang for the Chuseok holiday.

Air Seoul evacuated all passengers and swapped in a replacement aircraft for safety checks. The flight eventually departed about two hours and 50 minutes behind schedule. Two passengers chose not to reboard, leaving 219 on the replacement flight.

Air Seoul and fire authorities are investigating the exact cause of the fire. The power bank appears to have ignited despite short-circuit prevention measures being in place. Such measures typically involve placing a battery in a pouch or plastic bag, or covering its terminals with a cap or insulating tape to prevent ignition.

Air Seoul said it plans to strengthen safety protocols going forward.