Passenger Laptop Fire Burns Five On American Airlines Flight

Smoke filled the cabin of American Airlines Flight 2398 on Friday as a passenger's laptop suddenly burst into flames just thirty minutes before the plane was due to land in Dallas. The Airbus A321 carried 133 people from Atlanta when the emergency began. Chilling audio released by air traffic control captures the terrifying moment the pilot reported the fire in the back of the aircraft.

'Cabin fire in the back of the airplane,' the pilot told controllers with urgency. Moments later he added, 'The flight attendants are trying to put it out now.' The situation escalated quickly as the burning device filled the room with smoke. The pilot then delivered a grim update regarding those on board. 'I think we have about four to five passengers that were burned by the laptop,' he said. He confirmed the fire was contained around mid-aircraft.

Jessica Irgens, a passenger sitting just two rows away from the device, told CBS News what she saw unfold. She watched her neighbor's laptop smoke before igniting completely. The smoke became so thick she had to run toward the rear of the plane. According to Irgens, the owner placed the burning computer in the aisle while one or two others tried to help them. Those helpers suffered burns on their hands from the heat and sparks.

Flight attendants moved fast to stop the spread. They managed to secure the smoldering laptop inside a special thermal containment bag within around five minutes. Despite the pilot's initial report that as many as five people may have suffered burns, officials at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport clarified the final toll. Only one passenger ultimately received medical treatment after the aircraft landed safely at approximately 6:55pm. That person was treated and released right there on the tarmac. Emergency personnel waited for Flight 2398 when it arrived, allowing the plane to taxi smoothly to its gate without further incident.

American Airlines praised the crew's response to this potentially dangerous situation. 'We thank our crew for their professionalism and swift response to quickly contain the device,' the airline stated in an official update. The FAA has now launched a full investigation into the incident. While laptops, cellphones, tablets, and portable battery packs are common aboard commercial flights, their powerful batteries can dangerously overheat in rare cases. This dangerous phenomenon is known as thermal runaway. It happens when a battery cell generates heat faster than it can get rid of it, potentially producing smoke, intense heat, and fire without warning.

The FAA warns that thermal runaway can occur due to various factors like damaged cells, overheating, exposure to water, overcharging, or improper packing. This danger has forced regulators to impose strict rules surrounding lithium batteries on commercial aircraft. Spare lithium batteries and power banks must stay in carry-on baggage rather than checked luggage so staff can spot and deal with problems inside the cabin where they are safer. The FAA also restricts the size of lithium batteries passengers are allowed to bring onboard because of the fire risk. Statistics from the agency show there have been 56 incidents this year involving lithium batteries producing smoke, fire, or extreme heat aboard aircraft.