Spirit Airlines maintenance workers got quite the surprise this weekend after the carrier’s hangar at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) was covered in foam.
Spirit Airlines Maintenance Hangar Foam Mishap
On the afternoon of July 4, 2025, severe weather was moving through the Detroit area. Around 5:00p local time, lightning reportedly struck on or near the hangar which caused the fire suppression system to be triggered. The accidental activation of the system filled the carrier’s 126,000 square foot facility with foam, so much in fact that it spilled out onto the adjacent ramp area.
Based on photos from the incident, it appears that five aircraft were involved. Two planes, which appear to be an Airbus A320 and Airbus A321, were completely covered in foam inside the hangar while three others were parked on the ramp where the incident occurred.
At this time it does not appear that the incident has had any impact to the airline’s schedule, though Spirit has confirmed that three planes (the two in the hangar and one on the ramp) have been removed from service to be inspected by maintenance. There is no word yet on a timeline for those aircraft to be returned to service.
Fire Suppressant Foam is Highly Corrosive
While the pictures may look harmless, and somewhat funny, this isn’t as simple as cleaning up your kitchen after putting dish soap in the dishwasher. The fire suppressant foam is highly corrosive which is why the carrier has had to remove aircraft from service for inspection and possible repairs.
Based on the photos of the incident, I would think that the two aircraft furthest from the hangar received minimal impacts from the foam and were able to be quickly inspected and returned to service
It has been a rough couple of years for Spirit Airlines and losing three planes on one of the busiest travel weekend of the year certainly stings. This cleanup effort could take quite some time and, in addition to the planes, one of the carrier’s largest maintenance facilities is now offline for the foreseeable future.
Summary
Three Spirit Airlines planes have been removed from service after an incident at a maintenance hangar in Detroit. It is believed that a lightning strike caused the fire suppression system in the hangar to activate, coating aircraft in corrosive foam. No timetable on the cleanup effort has been given at this time.