Laptop catches fire on American Airlines flight, passengers injured
What's the story
An American Airlines flight from Atlanta to Dallas Fort Worth turned into an in-flight emergency after a passenger's laptop caught fire mid-air. The incident left several passengers with minor burns and required immediate action from the cabin crew. Despite the scare, the plane landed safely at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas.
Incident management
Pilot reported cabin fire to air traffic control
The American Airlines Flight 2398 incident occurred on Friday, as reported by Israelhayom.com.
Air traffic control audio cited by CBS News revealed the pilot told the control tower "cabin fire in the back of the airplane."
The pilot also said that "the flight attendants are trying to put it out now," and that four to five passengers had been burned by the laptop.
Post-landing care
One passenger treated on ground
After the plane touched down, it was met by emergency services. One passenger was treated at the scene and then released.
The airline confirmed that "the flight arrived safely after smoke was reported from a customer's electronic device during landing."
American Airlines thanked its crew for their quick response in containing the incident once they were on ground.
Safety alert
Incident highlights dangers of lithium-ion batteries
The incident has once again brought the dangers of lithium-ion batteries to the fore.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has long warned that these batteries can go into thermal runaway if damaged, overheated, exposed to water, overcharged or packed improperly.
This can lead to intense heat, smoke and fire.
So far this year, there have been 58 confirmed aviation incidents involving lithium batteries.
Travel precautions
FAA has set size limits for lithium batteries on flights
To mitigate risks, aviation authorities mandate that passengers carry lithium battery-powered devices and spare batteries in their cabin baggage instead of checked luggage.
This is so the cabin crew can respond swiftly if a device overheats or catches fire.
The FAA has also set size limits for lithium batteries on flights due to these risks.