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.
![The path of Flight 259, which was diverted to Jacksonville, Florida after a battery in a passenger's items caught fire. Photo / FlightAware](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/HJEQC3R375ERXPDGNTNCEON32Y.png?auth=f1d3f8d2f5fba0517afdcae203e9a283b5f9a15ff0bcc7fc7dccd0a397a73248&width=16&height=9&quality=70&smart=true)
Jacksonville Fire Rescue officials said one person was taken to the hospital initially, but more people started feeling ill as time passed.