| Date: | Wednesday 22 July 2020 |
| Time: | 15:14 |
| Type: |  Boeing 777-F60 |
| Owner/operator: | Ethiopian Airlines |
| Registration: | ET-ARH |
| MSN: | 42031/1242 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2014 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 26740 hours |
| Cycles: | 4286 flights |
| Engine model: | General Electric GE90-110B1L |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) -
 China
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Shanghai-Pudong International Airport (PVG/ZSPD) |
| Chongqing-Jiangbei International Airport (CKG/ZUCK) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAAC |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Ethiopian Airlines flight ET3739,a Boeing 777-F, sustained substaantial damage after a fire broke out in the cargo hold while parked at position 306 at cargo apron 3 at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in China.
After cargo loading was completed and the doors were closed, while waiting for departure, at 15:14 the crew reported a cargo fire alarm. After the main cargo door was opened, smoke was observed, followed by visible flames. The airport fire brigade carried out firefighting, supported by the Shanghai city fire department. At 17:01, the open flames were finally extinguished. The main cargo compartment was severely damaged by fire, but there were no casualties.
Conclusion
The investigation team determined that in this accident, the fire originated in the aircraft’s main cargo compartment, within the area of station positions STA1790–STA2129. The ignition point was located on the right side of the main cargo compartment, at station positions STA1916–STA2048 (main cargo PR position).
The most probable cause of the fire was the spontaneous combustion of chlorine dioxide disinfectant tablets loaded in the main cargo compartment, triggered by high temperature and humid conditions.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
sina.com.cn
Location
Images:
photo (c) B-2006overZBAA; Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG); 13 August 2020
photo (c) Leslie Snelleman; Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU/EBBR); 13 August 2016
photo (c) Felix Goetting; Liège Airport (LGG/EBLG); 30 September 2018
photo (c) Miklós Szabó; Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU/EBBR); 12 June 2015
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Sep-2025 13:47 | ASN | Updated [Accident report, ] |
| 28-Sep-2025 15:11 | ASN | Updated [Time, Destination airport, Narrative, ] |
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