Vape Pen Causes Fire on Plane

I suppose that being chilled about a fire is the best response. Getting heated would just make things worse.
 
"A passenger, Rex Sakamoto of New York City, tells WCBS someone yelled "fire" and there was a smell "like a campfire."

He must have felt like a real Charlie - he had this juice in the tank.

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Thanks @Drikusw

This type of thing scares me when I fly. Im never worried about my own vape gear but worry what other people have in their luggage. I suppose a small fire like that is fairly easy to put out - but what if its not noticed for a while and gets larger...

There must have been fires on planes back in the day when people smoked on planes. I can't remember because by the time I was an adult and flew a few times I think smoking was already banned on planes.
 
Thanks @Drikusw


This type of thing scares me when I fly. Im never worried about my own vape gear but worry what other people have in their luggage. I suppose a small fire like that is fairly easy to put out - but what if its not noticed for a while and gets larger...

There must have been fires on planes back in the day when people smoked on planes. I can't remember because by the time I was an adult and flew a few times I think smoking was already banned on planes.

I agree. People just don't give a crap. I always remove my batteries and place them in silicone sleeves or those small plastic boxes.

I do remember being allowed to smoke on planes. If you were seated at an overwing seat the hostess would simply pull someone out of their seat at the back and move you there for the duration of your smoke. Once done you were just moved back to your original seat.
The fire hazard started when people smoked illegally in the toilet and did not always ensure the sigarette was put out properly before dropping it in the trash.
 
I agree. People just don't give a crap. I always remove my batteries and place them in silicone sleeves or those small plastic boxes.

I do remember being allowed to smoke on planes. If you were seated at an overwing seat the hostess would simply pull someone out of their seat at the back and move you there for the duration of your smoke. Once done you were just moved back to your original seat.
The fire hazard started when people smoked illegally in the toilet and did not always ensure the sigarette was put out properly before dropping it in the trash.

Interesting

Ya I also remove my batteries and pack them carefully.
Only problem is my internal battery mods like my istick20 and istick50 - I just turn them off.
They've never given problems in years but I suppose something could always happen and Murphy could strike while you on the plane...

But I wonder if its off whether it could cause a problem. I would imagine the chances are quite small.
 
Interesting

Ya I also remove my batteries and pack them carefully.
Only problem is my internal battery mods like my istick20 and istick50 - I just turn them off.
They've never given problems in years but I suppose something could always happen and Murphy could strike while you on the plane...

But I wonder if its off whether it could cause a problem. I would imagine the chances are quite small.
Fortunately most regulated mods have a ten second cut-off but rather safe than sorry.
 
It won't be long now before mods are banned in check-in luggage and quite rightly so. You're not aware that a fire has started until someone sees/smells smoke. It would be far safer to have the mod in your hand, vaping. If a fire starts you would be aware of it immediately. The authorities need to be made aware that people should be allowed to vape on planes, for safety reasons.
 
The thing is that many vapers probably don't know what the best/safest way is to travel with their vapes.

I've never seen any info at the airports explaining this on a poster etc.

If its a removable battery mod the safest is to remove the battery from the mod and pack the battery in a safe battery holder or even a little zip lock back so it can't touch any metal and potentially get shorted. The mod itself without a battery is pretty much harmless.

With built in battery mods - I suppose the safest is to switch it off (eg 5 clicks etc) and remove the atty. Or i suppose with a pod system, remove the pod.

If you leave your mod with the battery in it in your hand luggage and it starts firing while flying - it "could" lead to problems. Most dangerous is if you dont pack your batteries safely and just chuck them loose in your hand luggage, they may get shorted on keys or something like that. Probably in that case it would be safer leaving your batteries in the mod and switching it off (if its a regulated) than just chucking them loose unpacked in your bag.

Just a tip, if your RTA has juice in it, try vape it empty before flying - it will more than likely leak as the pressure changes while climbing after take off and descending to land. Has happened to me a few times. If I have some juice in it that I don't want to chuck I wrap the atty in a few pieces of roller towel. If it leaks out the roller towel is a bit soggy on the inside. But at least you don't get juice all over your hand luggage.
 
The thing is that many vapers probably don't know what the best/safest way is to travel with their vapes.

I've never seen any info at the airports explaining this on a poster etc.

If its a removable battery mod the safest is to remove the battery from the mod and pack the battery in a safe battery holder or even a little zip lock back so it can't touch any metal and potentially get shorted. The mod itself without a battery is pretty much harmless.

With built in battery mods - I suppose the safest is to switch it off (eg 5 clicks etc) and remove the atty. Or i suppose with a pod system, remove the pod.

If you leave your mod with the battery in it in your hand luggage and it starts firing while flying - it "could" lead to problems. Most dangerous is if you dont pack your batteries safely and just chuck them loose in your hand luggage, they may get shorted on keys or something like that. Probably in that case it would be safer leaving your batteries in the mod and switching it off (if its a regulated) than just chucking them loose unpacked in your bag.

Just a tip, if your RTA has juice in it, try vape it empty before flying - it will more than likely leak as the pressure changes while climbing after take off and descending to land. Has happened to me a few times. If I have some juice in it that I don't want to chuck I wrap the atty in a few pieces of roller towel. If it leaks out the roller towel is a bit soggy on the inside. But at least you don't get juice all over your hand luggage.

My trick is a kleenex in the desce pouch if there's juice in the atty. Always remove the batteries from the mod and pack separately in a silicon sleeve. The Desce pouches are kinda juice proof and the kleenex will absorb the excess.
 
Sounds like user error, mod not switched off or power adjustment buttons locked. Wish these articles would rather blame the user than the hardware.
 
I've flown many times with my vape gear, both locally and internationally.
I follow a simple checklist to have complete peace of mind:

• Batteries out of mod, stored in a Chubby Gorilla case - carry on. No case? No batteries.
• Mod (without batteries) - carry on
• Building kit (scissors, screwdrivers, cotton, wire etc) - checked luggage
• Tanks in use: Top airflow - closed airflow, ziplock bag, kept upright. Bottom airflow - dump the liquid (seriously, not worth the headache), ziplock bag - carry on
• Eliquids decanted into 50ml bottles x2 (so max 100ml) and NB put into a ziplock bag. Frankfurt Airport they were destroying any liquid container not in a plastic bag. Extra liquid - brought a litre in checked luggage in 100ml bottles.

Have to add to bring it in topic - This article is probably the biggest reason I try to stay away from built in batteries. No clue what's going on in there - the tolerances, the soldering, the real capacity and ability of the cell etc.
 
I've flown many times with my vape gear, both locally and internationally.
I follow a simple checklist to have complete peace of mind:

• Batteries out of mod, stored in a Chubby Gorilla case - carry on. No case? No batteries.
• Mod (without batteries) - carry on
• Building kit (scissors, screwdrivers, cotton, wire etc) - checked luggage
• Tanks in use: Top airflow - closed airflow, ziplock bag, kept upright. Bottom airflow - dump the liquid (seriously, not worth the headache), ziplock bag - carry on
• Eliquids decanted into 50ml bottles x2 (so max 100ml) and NB put into a ziplock bag. Frankfurt Airport they were destroying any liquid container not in a plastic bag. Extra liquid - brought a litre in checked luggage in 100ml bottles.

Have to add to bring it in topic - This article is probably the biggest reason I try to stay away from built in batteries. No clue what's going on in there - the tolerances, the soldering, the real capacity and ability of the cell etc.
I agree on everything you said @jl10101 except the that whether you put your tanks in an upright position or not, the luggage is handled like rugby balls so to be safe have them emptied before storing them in your luggage.
 
I agree on everything you said @jl10101 except the that whether you put your tanks in an upright position or not, the luggage is handled like rugby balls so to be safe have them emptied before storing them in your luggage.

He has the tanks in his carry on @Grand Guru - so can control the bags orientation most of the time.
Except for when the air crew take your bag from you to pack it better in the overhead - then they usually stick it in anywhere it will fit in any orientation.

I can attest to @jl10101 's view on bottom airflow tanks

My Subtank Mini dumped about a third of a tankful this last trip I did. I was in a bit of a hurry so I just left it in my laptop bag side pocket - and it was not nice when I got back... juice everywhere. Cant believe I didnt just empty it and wrap it up. I even had a few spare ziplock bags. But you know how it goes. Hand back the car - then walk to the terminal - wrap luggage - check in - go through security - go find a wimpy....
 
He has the tanks in his carry on @Grand Guru - so can control the bags orientation most of the time.
Except for when the air crew take your bag from you to pack it better in the overhead - then they usually stick it in anywhere it will fit in any orientation.

Even better than that, I place it under the seat in front of me. It tends to have headphones and electronics I don't want crushed by overenthusiastic passengers that brought too much carry on and can't find space (that's a whole other rant)...
 
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