We're gonna begin this 11:00
o'clock hour with breaking news.
At least seven people are at the hospital
right now after an external battery
pack somehow erupted into flames.
This was on an airplane taking off
from San Diego International Airport.
Thanks for joining us here.
I'm neda ironport.
And I'm Eric Connor.
So this happened on United Flight 2664.
The plane is back at the airport.
It had to turn around and land.
It was in the air for 44 minutes.
We have team coverage on this
breaking story right now.
CBS 8 Chris Grow at UC
San Diego Medical Center.
With updates on the patients being
treated for smoke inhalation.
But first we're gonna start with
Kelly Hesjedal joining us live at
the airport to explain everything
you've learned so far. Kelly.
Well, that's right. You know,
in the way passengers described all of this,
it was pretty scary,
especially if you're somebody who's
nervous about flying to begin with.
Now, the passengers we spoke with told
us that the fire started in first class.
Now, they didn't see any
flames or anything like that,
but they didn't see sort of a glow,
but like when you put out a campfire
and then they said the cabin
started filling with smoke. I'm
shaking, I'm shaking, I said.
There was smoke in the cabin.
I was terrified, you know.
I didn't know what was happening.
We had just taken off and.
A few minutes into the flight I just
heard some people yelling smoke.
I was sitting in the first row and
there was smoke right behind me.
Turned around and there was a a gentleman,
his bag was smoking and he threw
something out on the ground and it was,
it was a battery charger pack
or something like that from his
laptop and it burst into fire.
Some were
gasping, screaming.
The guy next to me ran to the back
of the plane, the flight attendants.
Were grabbing fire extinguishers and
running to the front glass. One of the.
And that last gentleman you heard from a
retired police officer says he too saw the
guy who had that external battery pack.
Now he thought it was a cell phone charger.
The previous woman,
I thought it was a laptop charger,
but they both saw him throw it on the ground.
And then they say the cabin or the
carpet that is started on fire now.
Smoke filled the cabin.
The crew put out the fire and
then told everybody to turn
on their air for ventilation.
Now keep in mind this all
happened shortly after takeoff,
according to the passengers.
But they were high enough up in the air,
they were over water.
The flight United 2664 was headed to Newark,
and it ended up turning around and landing
back here in San Diego around 7:30 or so,
fire crews arrived.
Firefighters put out or put that
external battery into a fire bag
to prevent it from spreading.
So the fire was put out.
Now the good news.
It doesn't sound like anyone
was seriously hurt,
but a lot of people we talked to said yes.
They were very scared.
In fact,
one woman said she was still
shaking as she was talking to us.
You know,
As for the man who had that
battery pack that started on fire.
We're told that he was being
interviewed by harbor police and
one of the passengers we spoke to
said he overheard the conversation
between him and the officers.
And he said he's someone who
travels a lot for work.
And he said he was glad that this
didn't happen to him mid flight on
one of his longer flights overseas.
But again, fortunately,
it doesn't sound like anybody was
seriously hurt that we're working on
getting more information from authorities,
Kelly has said all CBS 8.
Ohh, you can imagine the nerves that
people were feeling during this.
Thank you, Kelly for that update.
And right now, at least four patients
are at a hospital here locally.
They're getting treated for smoke inhalation.
CBS8 saw at least four ambulances
transport people from that plane,
CBS's Chris Girl, Live outside
UC San Diego Medical Center.
Now with the latest on
those injured there, Chris.
And what we're being told right now by
first responders is that there were at
least again 4 individuals that were taken
here to UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest.
Now what we saw here on the scene,
of course, were those ambulances that
went in through the emergency room.
I should say that it did appear that those
who were wheeled out on those gurneys
did appear to be in pretty good spirits.
Again, all things Considered,
did not look to be that they
were in distress,
though we are still waiting on an
update on exactly what their conditions.
Are and what their status is and
just and how quickly they could be
released here from the hospital.
Again what we're told is that they
were dealing with smoke inhalation
as we know of course that battery
pack that device or whatever it is
that caught fire again could have
potentially given off a lot of smoke
and they're being potentially also
hazardous material within that smoke.
All of that obviously being taken
into consideration when they're
being treated here.
Now we do know of course that all
individuals were were evaluated that
potentially could have been hurt
again only four transported to denied.
To be transported.
So again,
we're still waiting to figure out
exactly what that final count is.
It does appear, though,
that no more ambulances will be
arriving here related to this incident,
that we're just capped off here at 4.
But of course,
when we do find out more about
the status of those individuals
that are being treated here,
we'll be sure to let you know,
including if and when they are released.
But for now, reporting in Hillcrest,
I'm chriscoe for CSA.
Yeah. We hope they're all OK.
Thank you very much, Chris.