Vape pen fire causes flight delay in New York

Feb. 14 (UPI) -- A flight from New York to Houston was delayed when a vape pen battery overheated and caused flames to shoot from the overhead storage compartment.

The Delta flight from LaGuardia International Airport to Houston was delayed Wednesday afternoon when the plane had to be evacuated due to a fire on board.

Passengers said flames shot out of the overhead compartment when a vape pen battery in a carry-on bag overheated and caused the surrounding luggage to catch fire while passengers were still boarding.

"You could tell it was a very strong smell, smelled like a campfire at first," passenger Rex Sakamoto told WCBS-TV. "Once I realized and someone yelled fire, it was startling like wow, I need to get off this plane right now."

A flight attendant used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames before the passengers were evacuated back into the terminal.

"I'm just so glad it happened on the ground and not in the air," Sakamoto said.