Not for the first time: Computer caught fire mid-flight - passengers injured
The incident occurred on a flight from Atlanta to Dallas, when the computer's lithium battery caught fire, causing minor burn injuries. This is the 58th incident of battery ignition since the beginning of the year, and the Federal Aviation Administration clarifies that it can happen completely unexpectedly.
A laptop caught fire on an American Airlines plane during a flight, causing minor injuries to five passengers.
The incident occurred on a flight from Atlanta, Georgia, to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, with 133 passengers on board. According to air traffic control recordings obtained by CBS News, the pilot reported to the control tower a "fire in the cabin in the rear of the aircraft" and updated that flight attendants were attempting to extinguish it.
"I think we have about four to five passengers who were burned as a result of the laptop. The device itself is under control in the center area of the aircraft," the pilot told air traffic controllers.
While the flight crew worked to contain the fire, the plane managed to land safely on the runway in Texas, with emergency forces waiting on the ground. An official statement from the company noted that flight 2398 arrived at its destination safely, and appreciation was expressed for the crew's actions.
58 similar incidents have been recorded since the beginning of the year.
The ignition of electronic devices is a known problem for aviation authorities around the world. The cause is a phenomenon known as "thermal runaway." This is a scenario where the lithium battery that serves as an energy source for most of our mobile devices creates an internal and uncontrollable chain reaction. Within a few seconds, the battery reaches extreme temperatures and releases thick smoke, flames, and toxic gases.
In the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States, they clarify that the phenomenon can occur completely unexpectedly. Batteries can fall into this dangerous state if they have been physically damaged, come into contact with liquids, been overcharged, or suffered from a lack of ventilation in their packaging. Since the beginning of the year alone, no less than 58 extraordinary incidents have been recorded in the United States on aircraft related to lithium batteries, ranging from smoke emission to actual fires.
Following the increase in cases, regulatory guidelines are stricter than ever. The law requires passengers to store lithium batteries and portable chargers exclusively in carry-on luggage that they take with them into the cabin, and not in suitcases kept in the aircraft's cargo hold. This is because a heat or fire event in the cargo hold is much more difficult to detect and extinguish immediately by the crew.
This danger has already taken a heavy operational toll on other airlines recently. Last February, an Alaska Airlines flight was forced to turn back after a passenger's backup battery caught fire during the flight.
