CNN CNN Newsroom March 21, 2014 18:31:00
They can look at the read out on the screen and it shows this fire is emanating from the front cargo area. could be that the front wheel overheat and there is a fire in the electrical system. so the pilots immediately one of them might go down one level below us into that unit and look at the problem. you could be going to another airport. that is what commences the turn. while that is happening, the transponder shuts off. maybe the fire affected that or the copilot is unplugging the wires to shut it off like a burning toaster. the acars shuts down after that. maybe the same thing.
Source: archive.org