A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer is credited with preventing a major mishap at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport when a bag caught on fire.
A passenger at the security checkpoint noticed smoke emitting from a piece of luggage and yelled for help, WSAV-TV reported.
In the July 20, TSA Officer Darrell Wade then grabbed the bag and took it to a safe area in the airport, the report stated.
Officials determined that a vape battery malfunctioned, causing the fire. The fire didn’t damage any of the airport equipment.
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“The battery caught fire, and the bag started smoking real quick,” Mark Howell, regional spokesman for the TSA, told the Island Packet. The heat melted a hole in the bag, he said.
Battery-powered e-cigarettes, vape pens, and similar devices are allowed in carry-on bags, according to the TSA. However, they aren’t allowed in checked luggage.
The TSA said that the devices should be taken out of bags and checked at the security gate.
