easyJet flight evacuated at Milan Malpensa after power bank fire

An easyJet Airbus A320 bound for Prague was forced to undergo an emergency evacuation at Milan Malpensa Airport after a lithium power bank caught fire in an overhead locker. The incident occurred while the aircraft was taxiing for takeoff. Upon detecting smoke, the captain halted the departure and deployed inflatable emergency chutes to allow all 146 passengers to exit the plane.

Italy’s air accident investigation agency, ANSV, determined that the fire was caused by an overheating lithium power bank that likely spontaneously combusted. Two passengers sustained minor injuries during the evacuation process. As a precaution, authorities also evacuated passengers on nearby aircraft that were taxiing at the time.

This event follows previous reports of easyJet flights being affected by improperly handled electrical devices. The airline maintains that power banks must be carried in carry-on baggage only and are prohibited from being used to charge devices during flight.