Cargo Smoke on a Composite Wide-Body at the Gate
At 14:20, a Boeing 787-9 is parked at Gate 12 with 210 passengers boarding. The aft cargo smoke detector activates, and a ramp agent reports light gray smoke and a sharp acrid odor at the aft cargo door. The aircraft has a composite fuselage and a lithium-ion main battery in the aft equipment bay. Outside temperature is 32°C, wind calm. ARFF Truck 1 and Truck 2 arrive within three minutes. The cargo door remains closed. A thermal imager shows 85°C at the aft cargo door handle and 60°C on adjacent skin; no flame is visible. The captain reports no warning from the forward cargo compartment and asks whether to evacuate. Gate 12 is connected to the terminal by a jet bridge; 40 passengers are still in the jet bridge. Truck 1 has 1,500 gal water, 200 gal 3% AFFF, and 450 lb dry chemical. Truck 2 is two minutes out. What do you do?
1. What are the primary hazards and indicators in this size-up, and how do they shape your initial actions?
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Treat the closed cargo door as a hidden-fire compartment, not a confirmed fire. The 85°C handle and 60°C skin indicate heat is migrating into the door and adjacent structure; a smoke detector alone would not justify opening. The composite fuselage raises the risk of delamination, hidden smoldering, and toxic smoke, and the lithium-ion main battery adds reignition and venting potential if the fire reaches the aft equipment bay. The jet bridge with 40 passengers is the immediate life-safety issue: evacuate those passengers away from the gate and keep the jet bridge clear for evacuation, not firefighting. Initial actions: establish command, order evacuation via the forward jet bridge if smoke is not in the cabin, keep the aft cargo door closed, charge a 1.5-inch handline with foam/water, don full PPE and SCBA, set up a thermal-imager watch, and request Truck 2 and EMS. Do not open the cargo door until evacuation is complete, a charged line is ready, and a coordinated opening plan exists.
2. If smoke increases and the skin temperature rises to 120°C, how do you manage the cargo door opening and agent selection?
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Opening the door adds oxygen to a compartment that may be fuel-rich; it can produce a flashover or a sudden increase in smoke. If the skin reaches 120°C and smoke increases, treat it as a developing fire. First confirm evacuation is complete and the jet bridge is clear. Position a charged handline with a fog pattern at the door, have a second line as backup, and use SCBA. Open the door only a few inches, controlled by a strap or door limit, and apply water fog into the upper space, not a straight stream into cargo. Cool the door and adjacent skin from the outside with water or foam. AFFF is useful for cooling and for suppressing burning packaging, but it will not reliably extinguish a lithium-ion cell fire; expect reignition. Dry chemical can knock down visible flame but provides little cooling. If the aft equipment bay battery is involved, do not cut composite panels; use the designated access and continue cooling from a protected position. Keep the aircraft isolated and let the battery hazard drive a defensive posture if fire is deep-seated.
3. What communication and evacuation priorities should you set during the first ten minutes?
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Communication priorities: one clear command channel with a designated radio operator; assign evacuation, fire attack, and staging. Tell the captain to evacuate via the forward door and keep the aft door closed; coordinate with terminal operations to hold the jet bridge and move passengers away from the gate. Request EMS for smoke inhalation and stand by for possible battery-related injuries. Notify airport operations and the tower only if the incident affects taxiways or gate access. Give a concise CAN report: conditions (closed cargo door, heat, no flame), actions (evacuation, charged line, door closed), needs (Truck 2, EMS, battery specialist). Do not let radio congestion delay the evacuation order; use face-to-face or a tactical channel for the evacuation group. Account for 210 passengers and 40 in the jet bridge.