Portable battery fires

[Anchor]

Hello everyone.

The cause of the fire on the Air Busan aircraft is cautiously being attributed to a portable battery.

In fact, a similar incident occurred just a month ago on an Air Busan flight, and such incidents have been recurring.

If the aircraft had taken off without delay and a fire had broken out, another tragedy could have occurred, so it is essential to clarify the cause and establish countermeasures.

First, reporter Park Kyung-jun reports.

[Report]

Flames and smoke can be seen from the overhead compartment of the accident aircraft.

There is a possibility that the fire started from a portable battery or electronic device among the passengers' luggage.

Lithium-ion auxiliary batteries are essential items for travelers using smartphones.

When subjected to high heat of 130 degrees, they can explode into flames in just 15 minutes.

Fires caused by batteries are frequent in aircraft, where pressure and temperature change constantly.

However, on Jan. 28, the Air Busan aircraft was still on the ground before takeoff, and in December of last year, a fire broke out in a portable battery just before takeoff on the ground.

[Gong Ha-sung/Professor, Department of Fire Safety and Disaster Prevention, Woosuk University: "There can be cases where the separator is damaged, and there may also be defects in the battery itself. It can easily lead to thermal runaway and explosion under shock or overcharging conditions..."]

That means that even without high temperatures or charging, internal damage or very minor external shocks can unexpectedly ignite the battery.

In the past two years, there have been over ten incidents of portable battery fires on national carriers, and in the United States, fires caused by lithium batteries in aircraft occur approximately every two weeks.

Due to these risks, small and medium-sized lithium batteries under 100 watts for smartphone charging are allowed to be brought on board, but those exceeding 160 watts are prohibited.

It is recommended to keep the batteries carried on board close at hand.

This is to respond quickly to any fire.

[Jung Yoon-sik/Professor, Department of Aviation Operations, Catholic Kwandong University: "Lithium batteries are hazardous materials, so they are only allowed in specific capacities. Putting them in overhead bins can be considered neglectful in some cases..."]

Starting this year, international regulations have also added a recommendation to carry batteries charged to only 25-30% capacity on board.

Air Busan has stated that it is reviewing related regulations, keeping in mind the fire risks of items brought on board.

This is KBS News, Park Kyung-jun.