Smoking laptop causes plane evacuation via emergency slide at New York’s JFK Airport

167 people exit aircraft after computer apparently catches fire on JetBlue flight from Barbados; five lightly injured

By AP 25 December 2022, 12:10 pm

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A JetBlue plane is evacuated at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport after a laptop started emitting smoke, December 24, 2022 (Screen grab via CBS used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

NEW YORK — Emergency responders evacuated a JetBlue flight at JFK International Airport in New York City as a result of a small fire in a passenger’s laptop on Saturday evening, officials said.

Officials from the FAA, JetBlue and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the aircraft was taxing to a gate at Terminal 5 when a lithium battery in a passenger’s laptop caught fire, the New York Daily News reported.

The fire was quickly extinguished by the crew of JetBlue Flight 662 from Bridgetown, Barbados.

First responders and the crew evacuated 67 people from the Airbus A320 jet using an emergency slide system. Another 60 passengers exited the plane normally, the Port Authority said.

Seven passengers suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation and bruised elbows, the Port Authority said.

“Safety is always our number one priority, and we are investigating this incident in coordination with the FAA and NTSB,” JetBlue said in a statement to the Daily News.