BOSTON — When a full-size suitcase triggered an alarm on the Transportation Security Administration’s checked baggage scanner equipment at Boston Logan International Airport, it was anything but a routine matter when smoke began pouring out of the wheeled suitcase.
TSA is focused on ensuring that nothing catastrophic occurs on an airplane, and so of course a suitcase that has smoke emitting from it is definitely suspicious.
The packed blue plastic roller-bag had smoke rising from its seam, causing disruption in the checked baggage screening room.
Here’s a video of the smoking suitcase.
Out of an abundance of caution, the checked baggage screening area was evacuated for 49 minutes to allow the Massachusetts Port Fire & Rescue and the Massachusetts State Police and Explosives Ordnance Detection team to respond to ensure that the suitcase did not contain an explosive device.
The incident took place during the record-setting Thanksgiving travel period, on Saturday, Nov. 24, when TSA at Boston Logan International Airport screened 56,686 passengers plus their checked and carry-on bags.
The passenger, who was ticketed to fly to Kansas City International Airport, was contacted by authorities and his flight delayed until the situation was cleared.
The cause of the smoking suitcase turned out to be a lithium battery in an e-cigarette that ignited.