Travelers were forced to evacuate after a man caught on fire in a business lounge at an airport in Australia when a power bank ignited in his pocket.
The incident, which left the man with minor burns, took place Thursday in a business lounge for Qantas Airways at the busy Melbourne International Airport, the airport confirmed to NBC News.
Firefighters responded to the incident, with the lounge evacuated as a precaution, the airport confirmed.
Passengers reported panic as smoke emerged.
In a Reddit post, one traveler said they “heard screaming from the other side of the lounge” and that the explosion of the device sent “battery acid flying everywhere.”
“His jacket caught on fire. They evacuated us because the smoke and smell was so strong, but I really just hope the guy is okay,” the traveler added.
Local media reported that the man, who is in his 50s, was in stable condition at a hospital, after suffering the burns to his leg and fingers.
Qantas did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.
Australian filmmaker Leanne Tonkes, who was in the lounge at the time, posted about the incident on social media.
“Hoping the man who caught fire holding it is ok,” she wrote in her Instagram post.
“Quick thinking from the man who jumped in to help and the staff who got him in the shower and everyone else out of the lounge,” she added.
According to the Transport Security Administration (TSA), power banks containing a lithium ion battery must be packed in carry-on bags. Spare lithium batteries, which include power banks, are not allowed in checked luggage.
Several of the world’s biggest airlines, including Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific, prohibit the use of power banks on their flights.
In October 2025, an Air China flight made an emergency landing in Shanghai after a lithium battery in a passenger’s carry on bag ignited.
—NBC