The moment the power bank suddenly exploded in a coffee shop
(Dan Tri) - A video records the moment a backup battery suddenly exploded in a cafe in Thailand, startling many people because of the danger when the device malfunctions.
The incident happened inside a cat cafe in Nakhon Pathom city (Thailand), recorded by surveillance cameras. Images from the video show a backup battery placed on a table suddenly smoking, then exploding and burning fiercely.
The sound from the explosion caused the cats in the cafe to run away.
A cafe employee quickly covered the fire created by the explosion with a wet towel, but it took a while to extinguish the fire.
"A customer's backup battery in the shop suddenly exploded. Luckily no one was injured and all the cats are safe," the cafe owner shared on social networks.
The moment the power bank suddenly exploded in a coffee shop (Video: Newsflare).
The backup battery exploded causing a fire while the plane was in mid-air
The above incident happened just a few days after another backup battery explosion caused a fire on the plane.
Accordingly, the incident occurred on October 11 on an Airbus A321neo aircraft of IndiGo airline (India) on a journey from Delhi to Chennai (Tamil Nadu state, India).
Witnesses said they spotted smoke coming from the carry-on luggage compartment, before a fire broke out. Video recorded by witnesses showed passengers trying to extinguish a fire in the luggage compartment, while many people screamed in panic.
The crew then used a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. The plane then had to divert and make an emergency landing in Hyderabad city. Luckily the incident did not cause any casualties.
The backup battery exploded, causing a fire while the plane was in mid-air (Video: NDTV).
Backup batteries exploding and catching fire on flights will seriously affect flight safety, possibly leading to dangerous accidents.
A typical incident occurred on the evening of January 28, 2025 on a flight of Air Busan (South Korea), when the Airbus A321 carrying 169 passengers and 7 crew members was preparing to take off from Busan city to Hong Kong when it suddenly caught fire.
Although the plane had not yet left the ground, the fire spread quickly, forcing all passengers to evacuate via emergency slides. At least 7 people were hospitalized. Although there were no critical cases, the plane was seriously damaged.
The cause of the incident was determined because the backup battery in a passenger's hand luggage exploded, causing a fire.
The Air Busan plane was seriously damaged after a fire caused by a backup battery (Photo: EPA-EFE).
According to international regulations, backup batteries are absolutely prohibited in checked baggage. However, some airlines still allow passengers to carry power banks in their carry-on luggage, provided they are not used during the flight.
Major airlines such as Thai Airways, AirAsia, EVA Air, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific... are all applying this regulation.
In Vietnam, from July 1, each passenger is allowed to bring up to 2 backup batteries on the plane. The device must be kept in carry-on baggage, placed in an easily visible location, and must not be stored in the overhead compartment.
Passengers are not allowed to charge spare batteries or use this device to charge other electronic devices during the flight.
The reason for the bans is because rechargeable batteries store energy through lithium-ion cells, which pose a high risk of fire and explosion if impacted, short-circuited or used incorrectly. Incidents related to this device not only cause panic in the passenger cabin, but also directly threaten flight safety.
Signs that backup batteries are at risk of fire and explosion
If your backup battery has the following signs, stop using it and place the product in a plastic box in a visible place, away from flammable objects:
- The cover of the backup battery is swollen or not as flat as the original. Even swelling of the battery inside can damage the outer shell. This is a sign that the battery has a very high risk of fire and explosion and should be stopped from use immediately.
- During use or charging the backup battery, if the battery is detected to overheat and become too hot to touch, this indicates that the battery may be defective or short-circuited, the user should immediately disconnect the power source and stop using the battery.
Absolutely do not use a backup battery that is swollen, cracked, or shows signs of damage (Photo: Reddit).
- The backup battery emits a strange smell, such as a burning or chemical smell, indicating that the battery has a short circuit or an internal leak. Users should not continue to use this backup battery anymore.
- Damage to the outer shell such as cracks, breaks, deformation, warping... can lead to short circuits or damage to the internal battery.
- If you discover that the backup battery is leaking or has liquid leaking out, you need to stop using the device immediately.