After cargo pallets containing Vivo Y20 smartphones caught fire at Hong Kong airport this week, a major cargo airline has reportedly announced a ban on Vivo phones.
According to Android Authority, Chinese smartphone maker Vivo has confirmed that it is investigating the cause of the fire.
Vivo Mobile Pallet Catches Fire While Loading in Cargo Plane at HKG pic.twitter.com/sW7NXIoPd5
— Solo Shokeen (@SoloShokeen) April 11, 2021
"We noticed that a shipment of goods, some of which were Vivo products, got burned on the parking apron of Hong Kong International Airport on April 11," Android Authority quoted the company as saying.
"We have paid high attention and immediately set up a special team to work closely with the local authorities to determine its cause," it added, saying it would keep the media and public informed of any development.
The report, citing The Standard, said that the cargo fire occurred on the airport's apron just before the pallets containing Vivo Y20 phones and associated accessories were due to be loaded into a Hong Kong Air Cargo plane bound for Thailand.
Several industry outlets have since reported that Hong Kong Air Cargo has banned Vivo devices and two air freight companies until further notice, the report said.
The cause of the fire is not known yet, but lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones can cause fires if they are defective or damaged, it added.
Last year, A United Airbus 320 flight headed to the Bahamas from Newark Liberty International Airport was forced to make an emergency landing at Daytona Beach International Airport, in Florida, after a passenger's backup power source for a device caught fire, according to Daytona Beach airport officials.
"Fire was contained to the passenger's bag, put in fire retardant case until the plane landed safely," the airport said on Twitter.