Travellers were forced to evacuate Melbourne Airport’s international Qantas business lounge on Thursday morning after a man’s pocket power bank ignited, setting his clothes alight and filling the room with smoke.
The incident happened about 11am, when the device suddenly overheated and caught fire, burning through the man’s jacket. Around 150 passengers were evacuated as thick smoke and fumes spread through the lounge.
Witnesses described hearing screams before seeing smoke rise from the far side of the room. One passenger wrote on social media that the device had “exploded and sent battery acid flying everywhere”, while others shared photos of the charred remains of the power bank surrounded by warning signs.
Staff quickly came to the man’s aid, helping him into a shower to douse the flames while guiding travellers to safety. Film producer Leanne Tonkes, who was in the lounge at the time, praised the swift response, noting the “quick thinking from the man who jumped in to help and the staff who got him in the shower and everyone else out”.
Emergency services arrived within minutes. Ambulance Victoria said a man in his 50s was treated for burns to his leg and fingers before being taken to The Alfred hospital in a stable condition.
Qantas confirmed the incident and said it was reviewing its policy on passengers carrying lithium-powered batteries. “The lounge was evacuated as a precaution and emergency services treated the customer on site,” a spokesperson said. “We worked with Melbourne Airport to clean the lounge and it has since reopened.”
Melbourne Airport confirmed firefighters attended the scene.
The event follows a growing number of battery-related incidents in aviation.
In July, a Virgin Australia flight from Sydney to Hobart was forced to act quickly after a fire broke out in an overhead locker, believed to have been caused by a power bank.
In October, panic broke out when a battery caught fire on an Air China flight.
In January, an Air Busan aircraft in South Korea caught fire while preparing for take-off after a similar device ignited, injuring 27 passengers. In response, South Korea introduced nationwide restrictions on power banks in March. Emirates has since banned their use onboard and limited passengers to one device each.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is leading a campaign to educate travellers on the risks of lithium batteries. A recent survey found that half of passengers incorrectly believe it is safe to pack small battery-powered devices in checked luggage. The association urges travellers to carry only essential devices, monitor them closely, and alert crew immediately if a device becomes damaged or overheats.
Image used is AI generated for illustrative purposes only.
