Panic gripped the cabin as Air China flight CA139 from Hangzhou to Seoul had to land in Shanghai due to an emergency. During the journey, a lithium battery kept in the overhead compartment caught fire, causing fear among the passengers on board. Fortunately, all passengers remained safe.
The airline informed that the battery in an overhead compartment caught fire after the takeoff. After this, the flight was diverted towards Shanghai, where the plane has landed safely.
A video of this incident is going viral on social media, in which it can be seen that the passengers are nervous and the crew members are quickly trying to control the fire.
In the video, passengers’ screams can be heard. Also, the smoke and the fire are clearly visible in the video.
Watch the video here:
Today, an Air China flight (CA139) from Hangzhou to Incheon was forced to make an emergency landing in Shanghai, China, after a lithium battery in a passenger’s overhead bag caught fire. pic.twitter.com/emRolEYbmj
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) October 18, 2025
According to the New York Times, Air China confirmed that the fire was extinguished in a few minutes and the plane was diverted to Shanghai. Soon the crew member were able to control the fire and no injuries were reported. Due to timely action, a major accident was averted and all travelers arrived safely.
The fire incident comes months after China imposed an emergency ban on some portable batteries in aeroplanes. The move was taken in June after a regulatory body warned about the increasing threat these batteries posed to flights.
Lithium batteries, which are found in many mobile phones, laptops, chargers and e-cigarettes, have been recalled by the millions in recent years due to a fire hazard. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that if these batteries are damaged or have a short circuit, they can spontaneously combust.
As of June 30 this year, the FAA has documented 38 cases in which lithium batteries caused smoke, fire or excessive heat in passenger or cargo aircraft. Last year, 89 such cases were reported. This year, governments and airlines have tightened regulations on these batteries, limiting where they can be placed on planes.
(This story has not been edited by Daily Morning Today staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
