by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:00 AM ET, Wed February 8, 2023
A United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger's battery pack caught fire a short time after takeoff, forcing multiple people to the hospital for evaluation.
According to ABCNews.com, United Flight 2664 departed from San Diego International Airport on Tuesday for a journey to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey when the incident occurred.
Passenger Caroline Lipinski told local reporters that a passenger in first class threw their bag to the ground after it began smoking just a few minutes into the journey. Lipinski said she believes the device was a battery charger pack from a laptop.
Once the item was on the ground, reports claim it caught fire and the smoke started to fill the passenger cabin. Crew members used fire extinguishers and placed the item in a special fire bag, which prevented it from spreading.
With passengers reportedly "gasping and screaming," pilots called for an emergency landing and the Boeing 737 returned safely to San Diego. Once on the ground, four passengers and four flight attendants were taken to the hospital as a precaution, while two others declined to be taken.
The remaining passengers were deplaned and boarded another United aircraft, departing for New Jersey at around 11:45 a.m. local time. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials will investigate the incident.
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