South Korea says battery pack is possible cause of Air Busan fire

SEOUL — A spare power bank is a possible cause of a fire that engulfed an Air Busan plane in January, South Korea's transport ministry said on Friday (March 14), citing interim investigation results.

Scorch marks on the debris of a power bank found where the fire was first detected indicate the blaze may have started because insulation inside the battery had broken down, the statement said.

Investigators cannot yet state what may have caused the breakdown, however, according to the statement.

Lithium batteries in devices such as laptops, mobile phones, electronic cigarettes and power banks can produce smoke, fire or extreme heat when manufacturing faults or damage cause them to short circuit.

No abnormalities in the plane's own electrical systems have been identified, the statement said.

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