A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Japan Airlines suffered an electrical fire shortly after the plane landed and passengers and crew departed on Monday. The plane landed at Logan International Airport in Boston at 10 a.m. with 173 passengers and 11 crewmembers coming in from Tokyo. The passengers and crew departed and cleaning crews were working in the plane when they detected smoke coming from the cabin. Boston Logan Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting crew were called and found a fire in the electronic box and equipment bay near a battery box, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s initial report. The fire was extinguished in less than an hour.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a relatively new aircraft, first carrying passengers in late 2011. The introduction of the new plane has not been entirely smooth. Electrical problems have been reported by United Airlines and Qatar Airways which, along with Japan Airlines, are among the early commercial customers to use the plane. In September of last year, the NTSB released two safety recommendations regarding the engines that are being used on Dreamliners, as well as other planes. A Boeing spokesperson indicated that it does not believe the electrical fire was related to the previously reported electrical problems.
Boeing stated that it is cooperating with the NTSB and the airline in the investigation and is working to determine the cause of the fire.
Source: USA Today, “Boeing Dreamliner catches fire at Boston’s Logan Airport,” by Nancy Trejos and Bart Jansen, 8 January 2013