Passenger's Bag Catches Fire at West Virginia Airport

by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:38 AM ET, Fri June 14, 2019

Security personnel working at a West Virginia airport Wednesday were shocked to see a bag going through a checkpoint catch fire.

According to The Associated Press, Transportation Security Administration officers working at Yeager Airport in Charleston said a passenger's bag ignited in flames after a small explosion caused by two lithium batteries attached to a charger.

Airport police extinguished the small fire and news outlets shared a picture of the scorched bag:

Carry-on bag ignites at Yeager Airport https://t.co/OPxSI3fcGkpic.twitter.com/WG0Y3jIAyq

- WSAZ NewsChannel 3 (@WSAZnews) June 13, 2019

Yeager Airport Director Terry Sayre said the incident resulted in no injuries or delays, and the passenger whose bag caught fire was permitted to continue to his flight. Sayre also said travelers should know and understand the TSA list of prohibited and regulated items before flying.

This is not the first time a smoking bag has caused a stir at an airport in the United States. Last year in Boston, TSA officers were notified that a piece of luggage was seen smoking, which agents quickly found was caused by a lithium battery in an e-cigarette that ignited.

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