Official says plane evacuated after smoke from Samsung device

AP logo
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
A Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note 7 smartphone is displayed at the headquarters of South Korean mobile carrier KT in Seoul, South Korea.
AP-AP

A fire official says smoke that caused a plane to be evacuated at Louisville International Airport was caused by a Samsung device.

Louisville Metro Arson Capt. Kevin Fletcher told news outlets that the device overheated Wednesday morning and began to smoke, which led Southwest Airlines to evacuate the plane before it departed for Baltimore.

Airport authority spokeswoman Natalie Chaudoin said 75 people, including crew members, were evacuated from the flight. She says no one was injured.

Fletcher says there was minor damage to the plane's carpet where the device was dropped.

U.S. safety regulators announced a formal recall last month of Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 smartphone after a spate of fires led to injuries and property damage.

Keep checking back on this page to get real-time updates as this story unfolds. To get alerts for breaking news, download the abc13 news app for iPhone or Android. You can also get breaking news alerts sent to you by email.