Former 'American Idol' contestant Jimmy Levy's backpack catches fire on plane

Video shows crew members quickly putting out the fire with water bottles.

KABC logo
Saturday, November 4, 2023
Former 'American Idol' contestant's backpack catches fire on plane
A former "American Idol" contestant is grateful to be alive after his portable phone charger exploded on his flight home.

A former "American Idol" contestant is grateful to be alive after his portable phone charger exploded on his flight home.

It happened Monday before the plane took off from New York to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Jimmy Levy, who was a contestant on Season 18 of "American Idol," said his backpack caught fire underneath the seat. Video shows crew members quickly putting out the fire with water bottles.

Levy said he suffered minor burns on his hands.

JetBlue issued a statement saying no one was injured and that the plane was evacuated during the incident.

"Our crew immediately responded and addressed the situation, and there were no requests for medical assistance. Safety is our number one priority, and we are investigating the incident," read the statement.

The incident remains under investigation.