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By Patrick Clarke, TravelPulse
A quick-thinking TSA agent is being praised after springing into action at Georgia's Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport last month when smoke began billowing out of a piece of luggage.
[post_ads]The agency recently released footage of the incident, which occurred July 20.
The video shows passengers passing through a security checkpoint when a bag begins to smoke. That's when lead officer Darrell Wade comes into the frame, grabbing the bag, removing it from the bin and rushing it away from the terminal.
Wade alerted local law enforcement, which responded to the scene and determined that the smoke was the result of a malfunctioning vape battery.
Video of the frightening incident comes just days after TSA confirmed it would not be eliminating security screening at dozens of smaller airports in wake of significant criticism and backlash to the controversial cost-cutting proposal.
TSA also announced Friday that a new state-of-the-art 3D checkpoint scanner designed to improve explosives detection is being tested at Washington Dulles International Airport. The agency said it plans to have as many as 40 scanners in place at airports across the country by the end of 2018.
Newly released video shows bag suddenly smoking as it goes through checkpoint at Savannah/Hilton Head Int'l Airport. TSA Officer Darrell Wade grabbed the bag and rushed it out of the terminal.— ABC News (@ABC) August 10, 2018
The smoke is being blamed on a burning lithium battery. https://t.co/lqWwLZtbZ7 pic.twitter.com/tKQ86WWobM
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