Samsung phone emits smoke, sets off scare on Southwest flight
A passenger’s Samsung Galaxy Note 7 cellphone began smoking just before takeoff on a Southwest Airlines flight from Louisville to Baltimore today, setting off a scare and raising larger questions about the safety of the devices weeks after a nationwide recall of Samsung Galaxy Note 7s.
All passengers and crew members departed the plane safely through the main cabin door and were being placed on other flights to their destinations, Southwest Airlines said.
The phone’s owner, Brian Green, told CBS News that he had already swapped out his previous Samsung Galaxy Note 7 two weeks ago at an AT&T store after the company’s recall was announced, and this replacement model was supposed to be safe. Green said his new device had been working well until the flight incident.
In early Sept., Samsung and U.S. safety officials issued issued a recall of nearly all Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices amid growing concerns about the threat of the phones overheating and catching fire.
On the flight, Green powered down his phone per crew members’ instructions, he said. But soon after putting it in his pocket, Green said he heard popping and bubbling sounds and saw smoke. He added that he had not powered his new phone down before this incident.
CBS News obtained audio of communications between the pilot of Flight 994 and air traffic control:
“We got smoke in the cabin, could you send the uh emergency equipment over here?” the pilot said.
“Smoke in the cabin on the ramp at the gate, terminal ramp, Southwest 994, 737 – smoke in the cockpit,” air traffic control responded.
Federal safety officials issued its recall of nearly all Samsung Galaxy Note 7 after more than 90 reports of the phones’ lithium-ion batteries overheating in the U.S. That included 26 reports of burns and 55 reports of property damage. Samsung also recalled all of the Note 7s sold in other countries.
In a statement provided to CBS News, Samsung said: “Until we are able to retrieve the device, we cannot confirm that this incident involves the new Note7. We are working with the authorities and Southwest now to recover the device and confirm the cause. Once we have examined the device we will have more information to share.”
The FAA said it was investigating the incident and has confirmed the phone was a Samsung device, but it did not specify which model.
In a statement, the agency reiterated that it has issued safety alerts advising airlines that they must have procedures in place for handling in-cabin electronic device fires. It has also told passengers “not to charge or use these recalled phones during flight and not to store them in checked baggage.”