UK investigator says short-circuit caused Dreamliner fire in 2013

LONDON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - A fire on a Boeing Dreamliner jet parked at London's Heathrow Airport in 2013 was most likely caused by a short-circuit, Britain's Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) said in its final report on the incident on Wednesday.

The fire, which the AAIB believes started in the jet's emergency locator transmitter (ELT), damaged the aircraft's rear fuselage as it stood empty on a remote stand.

Runways at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, were briefly closed as fire-fighters dealt with the blaze on the 787-Dreamliner operated by Ethiopian Airlines.

Since the incident the AAIB has already made 14 safety recommendations and Boeing (NYSE: BA - news) and the U.S (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) . aviation regulator, the FAA, have undertaken safety actions.

In addition, ELT manufacturer Honeywell is redesigning the unit using the AAIB's findings.

The blaze in July 2013 came at a difficult time for the Dreamliner. The jet had only recently restarted flying following a three month-grounding by regulators earlier that year on concerns over its batteries overheating. (Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by David Holmes)