A homemade phone backup battery left by a passenger burst into flames at the international terminal of Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday night.

The incident happened at 11:55 pm after the passenger was told to leave behind the backup battery as the item is prohibited from checked baggage.

The flame was small and accompanied by a minor explosion. 

Security officers at the airport immediately used fire extinguishers to put out the fire.

A representative of Tan Son Nhat International Airport confirmed the incident to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, adding that the battery was homemade.

The case did not cause a big impact on the operation of the terminal, the representative added.

Air carriers regulate that backup batteries can be brought to planes in carry-on baggage but the batteries must have a watt-hour rating lower than 100 - 160Wh, depending on each airline.

Passengers must not put backup batteries in checked baggage as they can easily cause fires and explosions.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines regulates that valuable items, such as money, jewelry, cameras, camcorders, personal computers, and mobile phones, should be put in carry-on baggage, and should not be checked in to avoid damage or loss.

Removable Lithium battery devices and power banks are only accepted for carry-on baggage, not checked baggage.

However, many passengers have failed to comply with the requirements, according to air carriers and ground service providers.

When backup batteries are detected, airlines have to seek their owners, which takes time and affects the operation time of flights, an employee of a ground service company said.

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