Vape Battery Catches Fire on Air France Flight

Credit: Luke Wunderlich

A passenger was seriously injured on an Air France flight when an e-cigarette caught fire mid-flight, authorities said.

France’s aviation authority, the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety, said on Thursday it had opened an investigation into an incident on board a November 2 Air France flight from Malaga, Spain to Paris, France, according to Insider.

The bureau said one person had been seriously injured after an e-cigarette caused a lithium battery fire as the plane was coming in to land. Cabin crew was able to extinguish the fire using a “dedicated kit.”

Authorities are investigating the incident.

E-cigarettes are allowed on flights by both European and U.S. authorities as long as they are kept in carry-on luggage.