A Virgin Atlantic flight from New York to London made an emergency landing in Boston on Thursday night because of a fire that was apparently sparked by a phone charger in first class, according to authorities.
All 217 passengers aboard Flight 138 were safely evacuated after the Airbus A330 landed at Boston’s Logan Airport about 9 p.m. Thursday, about 20 minutes after the fire broke out, according to Massachusetts state police.
Investigators believe the fire was sparked by a faulty battery pack in a phone charger, according to WHDH. The crew managed to extinguish the fire, police said.
One passenger declined treatment for a smoke-related complaint.
“State Police Troop F Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (MSP EOD) inspected the seat; wires were protruding from the area of the fire,” police said in a statement.
The charger was found “between the cushions of the seat,” police said, adding: “Preliminary investigation suggests it is a battery pack consistent in appearance with an external phone charger.”
Passengers smelled smoke from the first class cabin “not even 30 minutes” after the plane took off at 7:30 p.m., passenger Cory Tanner, 28, told CNN. Firefighters inspected the site of the fire before the passengers got off, he said.
“It was oddly calm,” Tanner said. “There was no big commotion.”
Virgin Atlantic said it was investigating the incident.
“The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority and we are currently investigating to fully understand the circumstances,” the company said.
“We’d like to thank our customers for their patience as we work with them to provide local accommodation or to rebook alternative flights to their final destination.”
It was the second emergency incident at Logan on Thursday. Earlier, an American Airlines plane from Chicago declared an emergency as it approached the city.
The airline said the pilot of Flight 1172 declared an emergency when a cockpit light indicated an unspecified potential mechanical problem, but the plane landed without incident.