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Screams, smoke: Man catches fire, forcing Qantas business lounge evacuation
The fire caused burns to the man's leg and fingers and led to the evacuation of 150 people, with the lounge reopening two hours later, Qantas said.
- On Thursday, a man in his 50s caught fire in the Qantas business lounge at Melbourne Airport when a lithium power bank in his pocket ignited, filling the lounge with smoke and prompting about 150 people to evacuate.
- Amid repeated incidents, aviation safety regulators tightened rules on carrying power banks, as lithium batteries can short-circuit and cause fires, including a Virgin Australia flight fire and a January Busan Air blaze.
- Around 11am, Qantas staff directed the man into a shower while paramedics treated him on site; passengers reported seeing `battery acid flying everywhere` and Australian film producer Leanne Tonkes shared images of the charred device.
- An airline spokesperson said emergency services treated the customer on site and the lounge has since reopened.
- A 92 per cent rise in reported lithium battery incidents in 2022 underscores safety concerns, with several international carriers banning power-bank use and advising passengers to keep them within reach.
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29 Articles
29 Articles
A man about 50 years old was burned at Melbourne International Airport in Australia. The outer lithium battery in his pocket exploded. 150 people had to be evacuated from the airport.
A man wound up in the hospital for burns and about 150 people evacuated.
·Turin, Italy
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The man suffered burns to his legs and fingers.
As he was about to fly from Melbourne Airport, Australia, on Thursday, a man was seriously injured by the explosion of his phone's external battery.
·Paris, France
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Man Set On Fire In Airport Lounge After Power Bank Explodes Inside Pocket
A 50-year-old man caught fire at Melbourne International Airport after a lithium power bank exploded in his pocket at 11am local time on Thursday, leaving him with significant burns on his leg and fingers.
·New Delhi, India
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Total News Sources29
Leaning Left8Leaning Right6Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left
L 50%
13%
R 37%
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