An Ethiopian Airlines 777F cargo plane has caught fire at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The fire appears to have erupted on the plane’s cargo deck before ripping through the upper decks.
The blaze broke out Wednesday afternoon as airport fire crews rushed to the scene to stop the flames from spreading to the gangway and up into the airport. Eyewitness video from the scene shows thick smoke billowing from the belly of the aircraft.
#Breaking: Fire was seen from an Ethiopian Airlines' cargo plane at Shanghai Pudong International Airport Wednesday afternoon. The cause of the fire is unknown yet. pic.twitter.com/XyyOCJFCqB
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) July 22, 2020
Another video of the burning Ethiopian 777F at Shanghai circulating on Chinese social media show the airport fire department on scene and the fire seems to be under control. #BreakingNews #AvGeek pic.twitter.com/OcP0pxNcd8
— FATIII Aviation (@FATIIIAviation) July 22, 2020
Breaking: Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 777F (cargo) on fire at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China — it’s burning through part of the fuselage. pic.twitter.com/gD2kAMLBUq
— Alex Macheras (@AlexInAir) July 22, 2020
There are no reports of injuries at this time and airport authorities appear to have the situation under control.
According to FlightRadar24, the plane’s registration ET-ARH last flew from Brussels International Airport (BRU) to Shanghai Pudong (PVG).
A similar incident in which an Ethiopian Airlines 787 caught fire at London’s Heathrow airport in 2013 was caused by a battery fault.