Fire Erupts in Plane Overhead Locker, Forcing Emergency Landing

Mid-flight panic gripped passengers aboard a Hong Kong Airlines jet after smoke began billowing from an overhead luggage bin, prompting the aircraft to make an unscheduled emergency landing.

The flight, which had departed from Hangzhou and was bound for Hong Kong, was forced to divert to Fuzhou following the unexpected blaze that erupted inside a passenger’s rucksack.

As the Airbus A320 cruised above China, passengers reported hearing a sudden loud pop before a thick haze started pouring from the overhead compartment.

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The tension in the cabin escalated quickly as one passenger opened the locker to investigate, revealing the source of the smoke.

Reacting with urgency, the flight attendants jumped into action, dousing the smouldering bag with bottled water and deploying a fire extinguisher.

Several passengers also stepped in to help, using whatever liquid they had on hand—including juice and milk—to assist in putting out the flames.

Despite the initial alarm, no injuries were reported, and the situation was contained swiftly thanks to the cabin crew’s rapid response and the unexpected assistance of fellow travellers.

Still, the decision was made to divert the flight for safety reasons, and the aircraft touched down at Fuzhou Changle International Airport just under two hours after take-off.

Emergency vehicles were waiting on the runway as flight HX115 landed, and all passengers were quickly evacuated using emergency stairs before being transported away from the aircraft by shuttle bus.

An investigation is now underway to determine the precise cause of the fire.

In a statement, Hong Kong Airlines confirmed the incident, noting: “Flight HX115, departing from Hangzhou to Hong Kong diverted and landed safely in Fuzhou Changle International Airport due to a fire in the overhead compartment, which was successfully extinguished.”

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SOURCE: Fire breaks out in plane overhead locker forcing flight to make emergency landing | Need To Know