BA Jet involved in air stair fire.

[DogTailRed2]

News websites are reporting a BA jet involved in a portable stair fire.
UB1UB2 West London (Southall) on X: "A Heathrow plane stair vehicle catches fire while next to a plane (via @avikambo96 @hardy360) #UB1UB2 #London #Heathrow https://t.co/6COXUQFeGC" / X

[Equivocal]

Airstair and mobile stairs are rather different things.

[DogTailRed2]

Airstair and mobile stairs are rather different things.
My mistake. I thought the large image of the truck thing with stair things on fire would be obvious to most. I'm sure someone can post the make, model and stair configuration.

[TURIN]

What? Nobody claiming it's an EV yet? 😁

[Pilot DAR]

I have witnessed this on a smaller scale! Years ago, while at the Flight Service office getting the weather, the specialist casually looked out the window, then turned to me and asked if that was my Cessna 206 parked in front? Yes, I replied. He said that I might want to get down there, as the fuel truck about to fill it was on fire. Sure enough, a raging fire in the engine room of the fuel truck. We pushed the airplane (un damaged) well, very well, away from the fuel truck, while the airport fire department came to extinguish the fuel truck! 'Probably not so easy for BA in this case!

[BonnieLass]

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/634x890/screenshot_2024_06_25_at_07_16_25_86512769_13564631_no_passe ngers_were_onboard_the_british_airways_plane_at_the_time_m_2 6_1719259744993_893951836_b20c6f1500a3579e89f88cd8d4b8308da4 c6ef67.png


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/634x688/screenshot_2024_06_25_at_07_16_19_86512773_13564631_a_set_of _aircraft_caught_fire_at_heathrow_terminal_5_this_evenin_m_2 5_1719259736281_12786115_0e13054bf82ed9a2d62dca1e738345f6303 80e6b.png

Oopsy.....should buff out with a bit of spit and polish...sunglasses on the dashboard?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13564631/British-Airways-plane-stairs-catch-fire-Heathrow-flames-black-smoke-engulfing-tail.html

[Doug E Style]

That vehicle/stairs combination is used by the firm that do the aircraft cleaning, it’s not the type used by passengers.

[DaveReidUK]

Oopsy.....should buff out with a bit of spit and polish...sunglasses on the dashboard?

Worth noting that the aircraft involved didn't fly at all on the day (yesterday) following the incident, nor is it scheduled to fly today either, according to FR24.

[BonnieLass]

Worth noting that the aircraft involved didn't fly at all on the day (yesterday) following the incident, nor is it scheduled to fly today either, according to FR24.

Well I would hope that it would be withdrawn from service after being toasted like a chestnut. Granted to the uneducated eye there appears to be no damage to the aircraft, but the smell within it (even with doors closed) would be horendous, the "skin" and every inch of that area of the tailplane would need careful and thorough inspection for any "unseen" damage. So yes, it definitely needs to be removed from duty and meticulously examined.

The driver of the stairs must have left something combustable on the dashboard as that lends itself to where the fire was eminating from inside the vehicle cab (the usual suspects are ciggy lighters, sunglasses et al), it does not appear to be from under the cab (ie engine) or the stairs themselves.

A moment's lapse in concentration in leaving something on a dashboard has caused many a gutted vehicle, fortunate this time that the fire didn't take hold of the aircraft as well.

[ATC Watcher]

@ BobnnieLass : The driver of the stairs must have left something combustable on the dashboard as that lends itself to where the fire was eminating from inside the vehicle cab (the usual suspects are ciggy lighters, sunglasses et al),
or a mobile phone left on the glare shield. .Would not be the first time .

[ShyTorque]

As in …. Something powered by a lithium battery caught fire?

(Just to satisfy the anti ‘lectrics amongst us).

[Capn Bloggs]

Yep, gotta watch those lithium sunnies. :rolleyes:

[DTA]

G-EUYO is back in the schedule today with a flight to Barcelona at 07:50 BST.

[Maninthebar]

Yep, gotta watch those lithium sunnies. :rolleyes:

You say that but

Ampere's Dusk Sunglasses Lighten and Darken at the Push of a Button | Gear Patrol (https://www.gearpatrol.com/style/a42460675/dusk-smart-sunglasses-review/)

[DaveReidUK]

G-EUYO is back in the schedule today with a flight to Barcelona at 07:50 BST.

I think that might be a little premature - it's taxying back to the gate at present ...

[DTA]

I think that might be a little premature - it's taxying back to the gate at present ...
An engine problem means G-EUUF will be substituted.

[SimonPaddo]

Engine won’t fire up?

[DTA]

Looks like they will try lighting it up again this afternoon for the 15:00 Paris flight.

[DaveReidUK]

Engine won’t fire up?

They fired up sufficiently to take the passengers on a 50-minute taxy tour of Heathrow, just not enough to get airborne. :O

[DTA]

And no problems this time (so far). Half way to CDG by now.