United Airlines flight makes emergency landing after phone battery fire

A battery charger combusted on a United Airlines flight, alarming passengers and resulting in an emergency landing on Wednesday.

United Flight 1456 was en route from Newark, N.J., to Nassau, Bahamas, before the plane diverted to Daytona Beach Airport after one passenger’s phone battery charger caught aflame during the flight, according to USA Today.

The airline company called the occurrence a “thermal runaway event on board.”

The damage from the fire was reserved only to the passenger’s bag, as airline staff placed it inside a fire retardant case after the battery burst into flames. Daytona Beach Airport confirmed there were no injuries to the 130 passengers on board and zero damage done to the plane.

A @united Airbus 320 from Newark, NJ headed to Bahamas made an emergency landing @FlyDAB after this battery charger caught fire during flight. Fire was contained to the passenger’s bag, put in fire retardant case until the plane landed safely. No injuries or damages. pic.twitter.com/VhDuuFF8CD

— DaytonaBeach Airport (@FlyDAB) February 26, 2020

Daytona Beach Airport provided images of the scorched battery via their Twitter account.

“Emergency personnel met the aircraft and customers remained on board prior to the aircraft redeparting for Nassau,” United spokesperson Leslie Scott said in a statement. “We appreciate the quick work of our employees on board to keep our customers and fellow employees safe.”