Initial reports are coming in that a fire has broken out on an Ethiopian Airways Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" at Heathrow Airport, London.
BBC reporters on TV state that smoke is believed to have entered the cabin and cockpit, something that did not happen before with the "overheating" batteries. This problem was supposed to have been fixed before the Dreamliners were allowed to fly again earlier this month.
The so-called battery re-design seems to have involved putting the existing batteries in different, thicker, outer boxes. If this is again the cause of the problems, Boeing are going to have another long suspension on their hands with all the implications it has for the profitability of the project.
Live pictures just on appear to show smoke discoloration just forward of the wings on the left hand side. [CORRECTION] The BBC have just shown pictures from a closer fly-by and what appeared to be smoke damage from a distance was part of an access stairway. Fire crews have sprayed foam over the other side and towards the rear. Difficult to make out much further but the top of the fusilage just before the rearmost entry door and the tail seems to have a different coloration and texture to the rest. This is a cellphone camera shot of the Sky News images
Shot of TV coverage
9:43 AM PT: The incident did affect the area immediately before the tail. Close ups show the top skin of the plane burnt away.
Further information is coming in that the fire occurred while the plane was being towed (and the period when the batteries have one of their highest use).
In other news, a Thompson Dreamliner has safely returned to the UK after abandoning an Atlantic flight. A statement from them is expected.
9:56 AM PT: Heathrow Airport is about to re-open.
One expert (who did not have access to the pictures) confirmed the batteries in the 787 are in non-passenger areas and specifically mentioned one in the tail. The plane was the first in commercial service after the "fix" and carried many reporters covering the story.
Boeing's share price has dropped in response to this news.