Boeing 787 Dreamliner Catches Fire In Boston
An electrical fire onboard a Boeing 787 aircraft has prompted further concerns for the Dreamliner's delayed introduction.
The fire chief Logan airport said a a fault occurred in the battery pack for the plane's auxiliary power unit, which runs the jet's electrical systems when it's not getting power from its engines.
Fire crews using infrared equipment found flames in a small compartment in the plane's belly and had the fire out in about 20 minutes, he said.
Massachusetts Port Authority's fire chief Bob Donahue said there was a flare-up later when a rechargeable battery exploded."Something caused this battery pack to overheat, ignite," Mr Donahue said, adding it was too soon to know the cause.
About 15 minutes after all 173 passengers and 11 crew members had disembarked a mechanic spotted light smoke in the cockpit and cabin.
"When we arrived, it was a heavy smoke, and that was in three minutes, so this was advancing," Mr Donahue said.
The model was originally planned for launch in 2009 but production has been beset with technical problems. It was first delivered in late 2011.
In November 2010, a test flight had to make an emergency landing after an in-flight electrical fire - delaying flight tests for several weeks while Boeing investigated.
Last month, a United Airlines 787 flying from Texas to New Jersey, diverted to New Orleans because of an electrical problem with a power distribution panel.
The head of Qatar Airways recently criticised Boeing after its delivery-delayed planes were grounded because of the electrical faults.
All the planes were grounded for at least five days and came as the US aviation watchdog discovered fuel line assembly errors.
It said that the faults could result in fire risk from leaks dripping on hot engine parts or causing the aircraft to run out of fuel.
The latest Dreamliner incident raises concerns for British Airways (BA), which has ordered 24 Dreamliners from Boeing.
BA is still expecting its first 787 in May, with a further three due for delivery before the end of 2013. Virgin Atlantic has 16 Dreamliners on order and told Sky News it still expects its debut delivery in 2014.
Thomson Airways has also placed orders for the hi-tech long-haul Boeing plane, which has been marketed as being more comfortable and environmentally friendly than other aircraft.
A spokeswoman for Thomson told Sky News: "Having checked with Boeing we have no reason to believe the delivery of our first 787 Dreamliner will be delayed.
"Our first Thomson Dreamliner is still on track to be delivered early this year. Boeing has reassured us that they are taking action to rectify the issues highlighted to them."
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