Laptop fire causes mid-air panic on American Airlines flight

A laptop caught fire aboard an American Airlines flight from Atlanta to Dallas-Fort Worth on Friday, injuring at least one passenger, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The flight landed safely at its intended destination, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, after flight attendants used a thermal insulation bag — a fire-resistant bag that traps smoke, heat and flames — to insulate the computer, an FAA spokesman said. Emergency personnel met the flight on the ground, an airline spokesman said.

One of the pilots told air traffic controllers that there was a cabin fire in the rear of the plane and estimated that four to five passengers had been burned. audio air traffic control. The pilot added that there were 133 people on board the plane, an Airbus A321.

After the plane landed, at about 6:55 p.m. local time, one passenger received medical attention at the scene before being released, an airline spokesman said.

The FAA is investigating the incident.

Lithium batteries, which are common in electronics such as laptops, cell phones and smart watches, can overheat and in some cases cause fires. In recent years, governments and airlines around the world have increasingly restricted how passengers can travel with products containing these batteries.

In the United States, there are lithium batteries checked baggage generally prohibited unless the devices containing them are turned off. Spare lithium batteries such as portable chargers and power banks cannot be checked in and must be in hand luggage.

The FAA has 58 incidents verified in which a lithium battery led to smoke, fire or extreme heat on passenger or cargo flights since mid-August. Most of the cases involved battery packs, and a handful resulted in the flight being diverted from its intended destination.

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