Air Busan 'Aircraft Fire' Cause...Focus on Object Inside Overhead Compartment

Statements from Passengers and Crew Continue
"Witnessed Smoke and Sparks Inside the Shelf"

Attention is focused on the cause of the Air Busan aircraft fire that occurred on the afternoon of the 28th at Busan Gimhae International Airport. Since the accident, various speculations have been raised regarding an unidentified object inside a shelf, which is presumed to be the ignition point.

At around 10:30 PM on the 28th, a fire broke out at the tail section of an Air Busan aircraft bound for Hong Kong at Gimhae Airport, and the fire department is conducting extinguishing operations. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters on the 29th, a crew member who was on the aircraft that caught fire was in the rear kitchen of the plane when they saw smoke and flames coming from inside a closed shelf and reported to the control tower, "A fire has occurred on the aircraft on the tarmac."

Passengers also stated that "the fire started inside the shelf." One passenger said in an interview with Yonhap News, "There was a 'crackling' sound from the overhead bin where carry-on luggage is stored, and shortly after, smoke appeared."

They added, "The flight attendant told us to 'stay seated' and brought a fire extinguisher, but the smoke was already thick and sparks were falling from the shelf," and speculated, "It might have been a power bank or an electronic device."

A couple in their 30s who were seated near the smoky shelf said, "When the smoke appeared, the flight attendant asked, 'Did you put something inside?' and then suddenly the smoke spread rapidly."

A passenger in their 40s reported, "At first, I saw flames coming out from between the overhead bin doors."

An active pilot wrote on their SNS, "I do not believe the fire started from the aircraft's Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)," and speculated, "The fire likely started from carry-on items such as power banks or electronic cigarette vaporizers inside the shelf, or from smoking in the restroom, or an electrical short circuit in the overhead cabin."

Meanwhile, the fire authorities have secured testimony that a crew member waiting in the rear kitchen of the aircraft observed smoke and flames inside a closed internal shelf and are investigating the exact cause of the fire.