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LEARN MORESpirit Airlines flight diverted after in-flight fire
Spirit Airlines believes a passenger's battery, stored in an overhead bin, was the source of the fire.
Chris O'Meara/AP
March 2, 2023
A fire on a Spirit Airlines flight forced the pilot to divert the plane.
The plane was traveling from Dallas to Orlando when someone noticed the fire coming from an overhead bin.
Spirit Airlines believes a passenger's battery was the source of the fire.
The fire was extinguished before the plane landed at Jacksonville International Airport, a spokesperson for Spirit Airlines said.
"We thank our crew and guests for their quick actions to ensure the safety of everyone onboard, and we thank first responders for meeting the aircraft," Spirit said in a statement.
The airline told Scripps News that passengers were provided with ground transportation from Jacksonville to Orlando. They were also given refunds and vouchers for future flights.
Incidents involving lithium batteries on planes are on the rise.
According to the Department of Transportation, there were 62 incidents in 2022 where a battery caused a fire, smoke or extreme heat on a flight. That is the highest number of incidents since the Department of Transportation began tracking incidents in 2014.
Lithium batteries are used in everything from cell phones to laptops. The Federal Aviation Administration says they are permitted on planes but must be in carry-on baggage only.
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