A Hong Kong Airlines flight was forced to divert on Thursday after a fire broke out inside the cabin of an Airbus A320.
Flight HX115 was en route from Hangzhou Airport to Hong Kong International Airport when, at an altitude of over nine kilometers (29 500 feet), a fire was detected in the overhead baggage compartments. The pilots immediately decided to divert to Fuzhou, while the cabin crew used fire extinguishers and water to put out the flames. Photos show that the overhead bin sustained significant fire damage, with the ceiling around it blackened by smoke.
The Airbus A320 landed safely at Fuzhou Airport. It remains unclear how the fire, which started in a bag, was ignited. Authorities suspect that the passenger who owned the bag may have been carrying an electronic device, such as a power bank.
Ongoing ! HongKong Airlines flight HX115 from Hangzhou (HGH) to Hong Kong (HKG) was diverted to Fuzhou, China due to a fire in the overhead luggage compartment in the cabin of the passenger plane during the flight on March 20.
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) March 20, 2025
The Airbus A320-232 aircraft (B-LPC) has now landed… pic.twitter.com/WQCQtmbCkM
Measures
Fires caused by power banks and other electronic devices, such as laptops, are not uncommon. In late January, an Air Busan Airbus A321 in South Korea was destroyed by fire. The aircraft was preparing for departure to Hong Kong from Gimhae International Airport when, at around 10:30 PM local time, a fire broke out near the tail of the plane. The damage was irreparable, and later investigations confirmed that a power bank had caused the fire.
Following the incident, South Korea introduced a ban on carrying power banks in overhead bins inside the cabin. Since March 1, Taiwanese airlines have also implemented stricter regulations for transporting power banks on board.