Passengers experienced tense moments on board a KLM flight today after a small fire erupted inside an overhead compartment for hand luggage.
A spokesman for the Dutch airline said the cause of the fire is under investigation, but a passenger claims it was sparked by a lithium ion battery inside a traveller’s bag.
Flight attendants used an on-board fire extinguisher to put out the blaze which occurred moments after the plane landed in Bangkok at 10:40am local time.
Well done @KLM for calm management of cabin fire on flight KL 875 caused by a battery in passenger’s carry-on luggage pic.twitter.com/E6VH8ArhgT
— SixContinentChick (@Accone) March 15, 2015
The KLM spokesman said the Boeing 777, carrying 321 passengers plus employees, was taxiing to its gate at Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport after flying in from Amsterdam.
He told MailOnline Travel: ‘There was a short fire on board in one of the overhead luggage compartments for hand luggage and our crew made sure that the fire was put out.
Video of cabin fire caused by battery in passenger’s luggage on KL876 well managed by @KLM attendants. Veel Danke! pic.twitter.com/NKYThmf703
— SixContinentChick (@Accone) March 15, 2015