"And the LTSO wrestled the vaper to the ground..."
 

Apparently this happened on July 20 at SAV:
https://www.wftv.com/news/trending-n...port/809929457

I'm somewhat torn on this.

On the one hand, I have to give props to the LTSO for not panicking and running away as most people would, or freezing up with indecision (as I certainly would). He kept calm and made a decision to DO something to resolve the situation.

On the other hand, aside from doing absolutely nothing, picking up a smoking carry-on and running it through the terminal to dispose of it was probably the worst thing to do in such a situation. If it's a smoking battery from a laptop or cell phone (or in this case, a vaper), then at minimum you risk severely burning yourself. But if it's an explosive or incendiary device, then the least little bit of jostling or physical contact can detonate it, putting the lives of everyone else in the area at risk from explosion, shrapnel, or fire.

Triggering an immediate evacuation of the area and calling in REAL law enforcement and fire fighters is the right decision.

I wonder if he learned how to handle potential explosives in the TSA Academy?

Wait, WHAT!? You mean to say that after a passenger's bag caught fire on the screening belt they didn't even shut down the checkpoint to investigate!?

TSA at its finest.

The LTSO could have poured a bottle of water on it.

Oh, wait... 😉

Maybe he was moving it towards one of these things? We have them at every checkpoint in BOS. Granted there's only one angle so it's hard to tell what he did with it off camera.

Granted it's not the first time it happened, there was the BDO in MCO, who took another burning bag, (except it was a burning Raspberry Pi board) and ducked it behind the nearby massive column to mitigate the potential blast had it been it an IED.

Thankfully in this case, everyone scattered as soon as they noticed it.

*shrug*

Had a vape battery go off in baggage claim here at BOS. Owner noticed it smoking and decided "maybe I should bail". Then someone else put it out. Practically everyone just stood there. MSP and Massport Fire and they didn't appear to shut down the baggage claim area.

Never noticed (or paid attention too) a BCR before. Can bet I'll be on the lookout for them in the future. I like when things are hidden in plain sight.

Not possible. The TSO would have to go to the TSA office and check out $1.98 from petty cash and stop and buy the bottle of Real water at Hudson News. Would take wayyyyy too long. ;)

The point is not what he may or may not have been moving the bag toward - the point is that when the bag started smoking, bringing up the potential of an IED about to go BOOM, he should not have touched it at all, because even the slightest jostling could trigger an explosion. But he - and his colleagues - should have IMMEDIATELY cleared the area of anyone who could have been hurt by a potential blast, and IMMEDIATELY called for the experts who have the training and experience and authority to determine for sure whether this was or was not an explosive.

As I said, I commend the guy for not freezing up or running away to save his own posterior. He did something, which is better than nothing, but the something in this case was the worst possible something he could have chosen.

Procedure: Simple. Potential bomb? EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY, and CALL THE BOMB SQUAD.

TSA: OUR safety is supposed to be your number one priority, not cheap heroics that actually worsen the situation and endanger more people.

<sigh>He probably got a medal and a cash bonus, too.