TUI Airlines Belgium Boeing 737 Evacuates at Brussels Following Cargo Fire Indication

On August 6th, 2024, a TUI Airlines Belgium Boeing 737-800, registration OO-TUK, operating flight TB-2252 from Heraklion, Greece, to Brussels, Belgium, with 123 passengers and crew on board, was forced to evacuate upon landing at Brussels Airport due to a cargo fire indication.

Incident Overview:

• Approach and Fire Indication: The aircraft was on its final approach to Brussels’ runway 25L when, about seven minutes prior to the expected landing, the flight crew received a cargo fire warning for the forward cargo hold. The fire indication remained active for approximately 5-6 minutes before extinguishing itself. The crew contacted air traffic control to report the situation and inquired whether emergency services would be on standby upon landing.
• Landing and Emergency Evacuation: Despite the fire warning deactivating mid-flight, the aircraft continued to land safely on runway 25L. However, once the aircraft had come to a stop on the runway, the fire indication reappeared, prompting the crew to initiate an emergency evacuation. The aircraft was evacuated using slides, and all 123 passengers and crew safely disembarked. No injuries were reported during the evacuation.
• Emergency Services Response: Emergency services responded immediately to the scene but found no evidence of fire, heat, or smoke in the forward cargo hold. A thorough inspection of the aircraft revealed no trace of an active fire, and it is suspected that the fire warning may have been triggered by a faulty sensor or other technical issue.

Airline and Emergency Response:

• TUI Airlines Statement: TUI Airlines Belgium later issued a statement confirming that the flight crew had acted in response to a potential fire indication in the cargo hold. While no actual fire or heat was detected, the safety of passengers and crew was prioritised, and the aircraft was evacuated as a precautionary measure. The airline stressed that no injuries occurred during the incident.
• Investigation: A full investigation will likely be conducted to determine the cause of the cargo fire indication. The forward cargo hold, in particular, will be closely examined to assess whether a technical fault with the sensor or another issue triggered the fire alert.

Conclusion:

The swift and decisive actions of the flight crew ensured that all passengers and crew members safely evacuated the TUI Boeing 737 following the cargo fire indication during approach to Brussels. Although no signs of fire were ultimately found, the precautionary measures taken ensured the safety of everyone on board. The incident serves as a reminder of the critical importance of safety protocols in aviation, even when alerts turn out to be false alarms.