A Spirit Airlines flight from Dallas to Orlando was diverted to an airport in Jacksonville, Florida, after a battery from a passenger's item caught fire in an overhead bin, airline officials said.
Flight 259 landed safely Wednesday afternoon and taxied to the terminal, the Florida-based airline said in a statement. Several people from the flight were taken to the hospital after feeling ill.
“There was a retired fireman that jumped up and the flight crew came in and they tried putting water on it and another guy went and got a bucket because I think the fireman reached in and grabbed it and they got it put out, but it took about 20 minutes.” passenger Kerri Arakawa told FirstCoast News.
Jacksonville Fire Rescue officials said one person was taken to the hospital initially, but more people started feeling ill as time passed.
Fire Captain Eric Proswimmer told the TV station they ended up taking 10 patients to the hospital.
Updates on their conditions were not available.
“We thank our crew and guests for their quick actions to ensure the safety of everyone onboard, and we thank first responders for meeting the aircraft,” the airline said.
The airline provided refunds and vouchers to passengers, and arranged for ground transportation to Orlando.
It comes after Musk posted a poll this weekend on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that came out 70% in favor of the Infowars host, who repeatedly has called the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax.
Flood watches are in effect in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and southern New England through Monday. The National Weather Service says 3 to 5 inches of rain is expected across parts of Long Island and southern Connecticut, with other areas in line for 2 to 3 inches.
Emergency workers and community members cleaned up Sunday from the severe weekend storms and tornadoes that also sent dozens more to the hospital while damaging buildings, turning over vehicles and knocking out power to tens of thousands.
