Incident at Melbourne Airport Lounge
On Thursday morning, a man in his 50s sustained burns to his leg and fingers when a lithium power bank in his possession ignited at the Qantas business lounge in Melbourne International Airport. The incident resulted in smoke production within the lounge and prompted the evacuation of approximately 150 individuals.
Response and Medical Attention
Lounge staff assisted the individual into a shower immediately after the event. Paramedics subsequently arrived to treat the injuries. The man was transported to a hospital in stable condition and has since been released.
Witness Account and Lounge Reopening
An account from a witness published by The Age newspaper indicated observation of liquid discharge from the battery. A Qantas spokesperson confirmed that the lounge was cleaned and resumed operations two hours following the incident.
Australian film producer Leanne Tonkes, present during the incident, documented the scene by posting an image of the damaged power bank online.
Airline Policy Review and Existing Regulations
Qantas is currently reviewing its policies regarding passengers carrying lithium batteries, including portable power banks, and anticipates providing an update. This incident follows a July event where a power bank in an overhead locker was identified as the cause of a fire on a Virgin Australia flight from Sydney to Hobart.
Virgin Australia is also in the process of updating its policy, advising customers to keep portable power banks accessible during flights. Furthermore, a portable power bank was determined to be the probable cause of a passenger plane fire in South Korea in January.
Several international airlines, including Emirates, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Korean Air, and Singapore Airlines, have implemented prohibitions on the use and charging of power banks during flights. Airlines also impose restrictions on the quantity and capacity (e.g., 100Wh to 160Wh) of rechargeable batteries passengers are permitted to carry.