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Fire forces NYC-London Virgin Atlantic flight to land in Boston

By Clyde Hughes
The Virgin Atlantic check-in terminal is seen at London's Heathrow Airport. The flight Thursday was headed there from New York City. File Photo by Andy Rain/EPA
The Virgin Atlantic check-in terminal is seen at London's Heathrow Airport. The flight Thursday was headed there from New York City. File Photo by Andy Rain/EPA

July 5 (UPI) -- A Virgin Atlantic airliner made an emergency landing at Boston's Logan International Airport late Thursday after a passenger seat caught fire, officials said.

Authorities said a cellphone battery pack that was pushed between the seats on Virgin Atlantic Flight 138 may have started the fire. The plane was headed from New York City to London.

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"Smoke and flames were emanating from a passenger seat," the Massachusetts State Police said in a statement. "The plane made an emergency landing at Logan. ... Wires were protruding from the area of the fire."

Authorities said 217 passengers were evacuated from the plane. No injuries were reported.

Virgin Atlantic said the passengers were booked onto new flights.

"We'd like to thank our customers for their patience as we work with them to provide local accommodation or to rebook alternative flights to their final destination," Virgin Atlantic said in a statement.

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