Railways urge passengers to keep power banks on their person

Taipei, July 13 (CNA) Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) and Taiwan Railway Corp. (TRC) recently urged passengers to keep power banks on their person to ensure travel safety.

Over the past year, there have been three incidents in which power banks caught fire on the railways, including twice on TRC trains and once on a THSR train, according to the railway companies.

The TRC said that while power banks are not listed as a "hazardous material" in the Railway Act, recent incidents of their spontaneous combustion prompted the company to remind passengers to keep them on their person instead of leaving them in luggage, to ensure travel safety.

The THSR said it has continually reminded passengers to mind their personal belongings and pay attention to the condition of their power bank.

It stated that items with potential safety risks should be kept within sight to allow for timely response or to alert train staff immediately in case of an emergency.

If a fire is caused by improper storage or misuse of a power bank, the passenger will be held legally liable, the company added.

Earlier in 2025, several Taiwanese airlines prohibited or discouraged the use of power banks on planes, citing safety concerns.