Boeing said in a statement that the fire was traced to a battery unit that helps powerelectrical systems when the engines are idle -- typically while a plane is being serviced or cleaned.
Boeing said the fire was traced to a battery unit that helps to powerelectrical systems when the engines are idle -- typically while a plane is being serviced or cleaned.
Each unit can also serve as a source of electricalpower for the military, or emergency response, something always in short supply in forward operating positions.
The 787 has two identical lithium-ion batteries, one of which is located toward the front of the plane and powers cockpit electrical systems, the other toward the rear and used to start an auxiliary powerunit while the plane is on the ground, among other functions.
Richard Walsh, a Massport spokesman, said the jet's auxiliary powerunit battery, which is housed in a small compartment known as the aft electrical equipment bay, exploded after crews believed the fire was extinguished.