Power bank catches fire, 120 passengers evacuated, 1 hospitalized.

Approximately 120 guests at a hotel in Kyoto, Japan, had to be evacuated after a portable power bank unexpectedly caught fire in a guest's room.

120 guests at a hotel in Kyoto, Japan, had to be evacuated after a portable power bank caught fire - Photo: MAINICHI

According to the Mainichi newspaper, emergency services received a call at approximately 8:30 p.m. on December 9th reporting that a power bank had caught fire in a room on the fourth floor of a 10-story hotel located west of Kyoto City Hall.

A hotel employee, approximately 20 years old, was taken to the hospital after inhaling smoke, but his condition was not life-threatening.

According to initial reports, a female Chinese tourist was charging her digital camera with a power bank when a fire broke out. She tried to put out the fire with water but was unsuccessful, forcing staff to use a fire extinguisher.

Earlier, on October 6th, a hotel near JR Kyoto Station in Kyoto also had to be evacuated due to a power bank catching fire, but there were no casualties.

The Japanese government reported in October that there were 2,350 accidents, including fires and explosions, involving lithium-ion batteries in the five years leading up to fiscal year 2024. Power banks alone accounted for approximately 300 of these incidents.

Since the beginning of the year, numerous incidents of power bank fires have been reported worldwide , including some occurring on airplanes, resulting in passenger injuries and forcing emergency landings.

To date, a number of airlines have banned the use or carrying of power banks on board, including Vietnam Airlines .

In September alone, China had to establish a task force to oversee the recall of power banks following a series of fires and explosions. Three companies, Romoss, Anker, and Xiaomi, recalled nearly 750,000 products and refunded over $15 million to consumers.

Trieu Phuong

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/sac-du-phong-boc-chay-120-khach-so-tan-1-nguoi-nhap-vien-20251210150607176.htm