A B727-200 FLC WAS NOTIFIED OF CONNECTING PAX LUGGAGE CONTAINED HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AND THAT A CHEMICAL SPILL OCCURRED. FLC WAS INFORMED BY MEM RAMP PERSONNEL THAT THE CONTAMINATED LUGGAGE WAS NOT ON BOARD THEIR ACFT. AT GATE IN SEA; FLC WAS NOTIFIED CONTAMINATED LUGGAGE WAS ON BOARD THE ACFT; AND THAT SMOKE AND FUMES WERE COMING FROM THE FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT.

Narrative

WHILE PARKED AT GATE IN MEMPHIS; TN; IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTN THAT A CONNECTING PAX LUGGAGE CONTAINING A 1 GALLON JUG OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE HAD CREATED A CHEMICAL SPILL ON ANOTHER ACFT CAUSING DAMAGE. OUR CREW WAS INFORMED BY RAMP PERSONNEL THAT THE CONNECTING LUGGAGE OR OTHER CONTAMINATED LUGGAGE WAS NOT OR HAD NOT BEEN PLACED ON OUR ACFT. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL FLT FROM MEM TO SEA WE ARRIVED AT GATE IN SEATTLE; WA; AND WERE INFORMED BY RAMP PERSONNEL AFTER APPROX 95% OF THE PAX HAD DEPLANED THAT THERE WAS SMOKE AND FUMES COMING FROM THE FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION FROM THE RAMP; I OBSERVED A SMOKING SUITCASE (ROLLER BAG TYPE) ON THE RAMP WELL CLR OF THE ACFT. THE FIRE DEPT PROMPTLY WATERED DOWN THE LUGGAGE. RAMP PERSONNEL SAID THAT FUMES WERE VERY STRONG IN THE FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT. PRIOR TO LEAVING THE RAMP AREA WE WERE INFORMED BY SEA STATION MGMNT PERSONNEL THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED A TELETYPE MESSAGE ADVISING THEM TO BE AWARE THAT CONTAMINATED LUGGAGE MAY BE ON OUR ACFT #XYZZ. OUR FLC WAS ASSURED BY MEM STATION/RAMP PERSONNEL THAT NONE OF THE CONTAMINATED LUGGAGE WAS ON BOARD OUR ACFT. WE HAD NO INDICATIONS ON THE FLT DECK INST PANEL THAT ANYTHING ABNORMAL WAS HAPPENING IN THE FORWARD CARGO BIN (IE; NO SMOKE/FUME OR FIRE INDICATIONS). THE CABIN CREW DID NOT NOTICE ANY FUMES/SMOKE IN THE CABIN AREA. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BECOME EXTREMELY SERIOUS.