SINGAPORE - Singapore Airlines (SIA) has refuted reports that its freighter plane carrying a shipment of goats had to be diverted to Bali, Indonesia on Oct 26 due to gases emitted by the animals.

There was no evidence that animal flatulence was the cause of the diversion of the plane, en route from Adelaide to Kuala Lumpur, the national carrier said.

In response to queries, an SIA spokesman said that SQ flight 7108 had been diverted after the crew received a warning from the onboard fire alarm system.

The aircraft, a Cargo Boeing 747 freighter plane, landed in Bali at 5.11pm local time and upon inspection, no evidence of fire or smoke was found, he said.

The plane was later certified serviceable and departed at 8.20pm local time. It delivered its shipment safely to its destination in Kuala Lumpur at 11.16pm local time.

The Aviation Herald and Daily Mail had reported the incident earlier, saying that the smoke alert had been due to "exhaust gases and manure produced by the sheep".

The SIA spokesman said that the cause cited by the publications "is an assumption being made by media, which is not able to be confirmed".