On October 30, 2023, a JetBlue flight from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Fort Lauderdale Airport in Florida (FLL) had to evacuate its passengers due to a man's rucksack exploding.
The event transpired on flight B6 1401, as the aircraft was stationary, awaiting takeoff.
The owner of the backpack, passenger Jimmy Levy, shared his horrific experience on Instagram, revealing that his bag was tucked under his seat. The explosion is believed to have been caused by the portable charger that was in the bag.
Levy stated before takeoff that he had dozed off when he heard a loud explosion and felt heat radiating toward his face.
Levy described how his rucksack turned into an "exploding and floating ball of fire" when he opened his eyes.
Levy began stomping on the bag right away to stop the fire from getting worse. As soon as possible, other passengers and crew members jumped into action to help put out the fire by dousing the bag in water from drinking bottles.
Although everyone on board cooperated well to confine the fire, all passengers had to leave the airplane in order for the incident to be fully examined.
The incident did not result in any injuries.
Thanks to a delayed flight
Levy expressed his gratitude to God in an interview with WSVN, a news network in South Florida, saying that the flight delay caused the fiery incident to happen while the aircraft was still on the ground.
The prompt passenger evacuation would not have been feasible if the explosion had happened in the middle of the flight.
Levy cautioned others to pack carefully and thoughtfully as well. He claimed that his portable charger, which was packed with clothes and other personal items, was turned off.
A JetBlue representative verified to multiple US media outlets that the evacuation of the flight occurred "due to a customer's malfunctioning electronic device or battery" while it was still at the gate prior to takeoff.
While TSA regulations mandate that portable chargers be carried on your person or packed in carry-on luggage, FAA regulations stipulate that spare lithium-ion batteries, which include portable chargers, must only be transported in carry-on luggage. Checked luggage is not permitted to contain them.
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