An American Airlines flight landed safely in Dallas after a laptop battery caught fire on board. American Airlines Flight 2398 was approaching Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) on Friday after departing Atlanta when the crew reported a laptop battery fire, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The FAA said flight attendants contained the fire using a thermal containment bag. The agency said the flight landed safely at DFW at about 6:55 p.m. local time.
“American Airlines flight 2398 landed safely at DFW after reports of smoke from a customer’s device during landing. We thank our crew for their professionalism and swift response to quickly contain the device,” an airline spokesperson told Fox Digital. The airline also said the aircraft taxied to the gate under its own power, where emergency personnel met the plane in accordance with procedure.
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One person received medical attention at the scene and was released.
According to air traffic control audio obtained by CBS News, the flight was carrying 133 people when the incident occurred. One passenger on the flight, Jessica Irgens, told CBS News that the fire began roughly 30 minutes before landing when another passenger’s laptop began smoking and caught fire. Irgens said she was sitting two rows away and moved toward the back of the aircraft because of the heavy smoke. She told the outlet that the laptop’s owner placed the device in the aisle while other passengers attempted to help.
The pilot reported to air traffic controllers that about four to five passengers may have suffered burns from the laptop, according to audio obtained by CBS News.
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The FAA warns that lithium batteries, including laptop batteries, are capable of overheating “as a result of various factors, including if the battery is damaged, overheated, exposed to water, overcharged, or improperly packed.”
The FAA recorded 58 verified lithium battery incidents involving aircraft so far this year, involving smoke, fire or extreme heat. The agency said battery packs accounted for the highest number of such incidents over the last 20 years, with 84 cases involving laptops.
The U.S. regulator says lithium batteries must be stowed in carry-on baggage only.
In May, a UK-bound EasyJet flight from Egypt was diverted to Rome after a power bank was found charging in a passenger’s luggage in the aircraft’s cargo hold. The flight was rescheduled for the following day.