Another incident of a power bank (portable charger) self-ignition has occurred on the Chinese subway. On January 5th, a passenger on Shanghai Metro Line 15 at Shanghai West Station platform had their power bank spontaneously ignite. The fire burned a hole in the passenger’s coat pocket but fortunately did not cause any injuries or casualties.
Surveillance footage circulating online shows that as the passenger descended on the escalator to the platform, flames erupted from the left side of their coat, causing a fierce fire that prompted other waiting passengers on the platform to quickly move away in alarm.
According to the Shanghai Fire Department, on-site personnel swiftly extinguished the fire using a fire extinguisher, preventing any harm to individuals.
However, photos reveal that the fire burnt through the pocket of the passenger’s coat, causing significant damage to one side of their clothing.
It is worth noting that the power bank in question was purchased by the passenger just last December, with 3C certification, and was not in use at the time of the incident.
In recent years, incidents of power banks catching fire or exploding have become increasingly common in China.
In December 2024, an explosion involving a power bank occurred in a female dormitory in Shanghai. Reportedly, on the day of the incident, a female student left her power bank charging on the dormitory desk. Approximately five hours later, the power bank suddenly exploded, causing damage to a tablet, the desk, and other items, with estimated losses reaching 5,000 Chinese yuan.
Around 2 a.m. on October 20, 2024, in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, a power bank charging in the living room of Ms. Wu’s home exploded, resulting in severe damage to that area of the living room.
Furthermore, according to statistics from the China Civil Aviation Science and Technology Research Institute, in just the first half of 2025, there have been at least 15 incidents of passenger power banks catching fire or emitting smoke on Chinese domestic flights. These events pose a serious threat to aviation safety and the lives and property of passengers. Consequently, the Civil Aviation Administration of China issued an urgent notice, effective June 28, prohibiting passengers from carrying power banks without a 3C label, with unclear 3C marks, or belonging to recalled models or batches on domestic flights.