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The device that caused bag to catch fire in plane's overhead luggage

Panicked passengers have been forced to evacuate a flight just moments before takeoff after a bag stored in an overhead compartment burst into flames.

Passengers were boarding a China Southern Airlines flight from Guangzhou to Shanghai when smoke began billowing from the overhead cabin.

Video taken inside the cabin shows flight attendants attempting to put out the fire using small bottles of water and juice.

Local fire and security departments eventually stepped on board and put out the blaze, where they also discovered its cause.

Cabin crew attempt to extinguish the flaming bag. Source: Twitter/ China Aviation Review
Cabin crew attempt to extinguish the flaming bag. Source: Twitter/ China Aviation Review

A power bank with a lithium-ion battery, despite not being used at the time, was found smouldering inside the bag.

Frustrated passengers were forced to wait around three hours as the airline attempted to find another aircraft.

The passenger who owned the bag was taken to assist the police in investigations, the airline later confirmed.

Lithium-ion batteries have been banned by the International Civil Aviation Organisation as cargo on passenger aircraft, however they can be brought as carry-on within limits.