Joint investigation into Air Busan fire to proceed despite safety concerns

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Joint investigation into Air Busan fire to proceed despite safety concerns

Officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport conduct an on-site inspection on Jan. 31 before a joint investigation to determine the cause of the fire at Gimhae International Airport in Busan. [SONG BONG-GEUN]

Officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport conduct an on-site inspection on Jan. 31 before a joint investigation to determine the cause of the fire at Gimhae International Airport in Busan. [SONG BONG-GEUN]

 
The authorities decided to proceed with the joint investigation to determine the cause of the recent blaze aboard an Air Busan without first removing the aviation fuel, despite concerns over potential explosions, the Transport Ministry announced Friday.
 
The incident occurred at approximately 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday while the aircraft belonging to Air Busan, a Korean low-cost carrier, was preparing to depart for Hong Kong from Gimhae Airport in Busan. The fire led to the emergency evacuation of all 176 passengers and crew members. Seven individuals suffered injuries. 
 

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The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board conducted a site risk management assessment alongside French investigators to determine whether the fire impacted the aircraft’s fuel tanks, onboard systems or structural integrity starting Friday morning.
 
The aircraft involved in the fire, an Airbus A321, has 35,900 pounds (16,284 kilograms) of aviation fuel, raising concerns about the possibility of a secondary explosion.
 
After evaluation, they concluded the investigation could be safely conducted without fuel removal.
 
Although the inspection was initially expected to begin immediately, officials decided to officially start the investigation on Feb. 3, considering the need for continuity in sample collection, analysis and classification and the forecasted rain over the weekend.
 
Additionally, passenger-checked baggage stored in the aircraft cargo hold will be returned to Air Busan for handover to passengers.
 
A key aspect of the ongoing investigation is determining the exact ignition source of the fire.
 
Industry experts have suggested that a portable battery stored inside a passenger’s carry-on luggage in an overhead bin may have ignited due to compression, leading to the fire. An internal Air Busan report revealed that a flight attendant had testified that the fire originated from the overhead bin in row 28.
 
Passengers also reported hearing crackling sounds from the compartment before noticing smoke and sparks.
 
Officials stressed that they are keeping all possibilities open in determining the cause of the fire.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]
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