by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:51 AM ET, Thu October 6, 2016
On Wednesday, a plane preparing to depart from the Louisville airport was forced to evacuate its passengers when an overheated Samsung device began smoking in the cabin.
According to The Associated Press, a Southwest Airlines flight was getting ready to take off from Louisville International Airport when a passenger's Samsung Galaxy Note7 reportedly began making a "popping noise and started smoking after he powered it down."
The plane was scheduled to depart for Baltimore-Washington International Airport, but the smoke from the device forced the evacuation of 75 passengers and crew members off the plane. There were no reported injuries.
Louisville fire department Capt. Sal Melendez said that the Galaxy Note7 overheated during the flight crew's safety demonstration. The only damage to the plane was to the carpet where the device was dropped.
Last month, safety regulators in the United States announced a formal recall of Samsung's Galaxy Note7 smartphone due to the possibility of the device catching fire and causing property damage. The Federal Aviation Administration has also warned passengers not to use or charge the Galaxy Note 7 phones while on an airplane.
As for Southwest Airlines, the company's website advises its passengers to carry their Samsung device on the plane instead of placing them in their checked luggage. Passengers are also asked to keep the devices off and keep them disconnected from power sources.
When asked about the incident, Samsung officials could not confirm to The AP that the Galaxy Note7 was involved in the incident, but they are working with local authorities to confirm the cause of the evacuation.
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