Passenger's laptop catches fire on American Airlines flight; pilot reports possible burns

An American Airlines flight made a safe landing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport after a passenger's laptop caught fire, prompting the pilot to report possible burn injuries among passengers. The blaze occurred on Flight 2398, which originated in Atlanta and carried 133 people.

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Cabin fire in the back of the airplane. The flight attendants are trying to put it out now.

Air traffic control audio captured the pilot stating, "Cabin fire in the back of the airplane." Flight attendants worked to extinguish the fire. The pilot also informed controllers, "I think we have about four to five passengers that were burned by the laptop." The device itself was reportedly contained mid-aircraft.

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I think we have about four to five passengers that were burned by the laptop. The laptop is contained about mid-aircraft.

American Airlines confirmed the safe landing and commended the crew's response. "We thank our crew for their professionalism and swift response to quickly contain the device," the airline said in a statement. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been contacted for comment.

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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.

Lithium batteries, common in laptops and cell phones, can pose fire risks due to overheating, a phenomenon known as "thermal runaway," according to the FAA. This can happen without warning if batteries are damaged, overheated, exposed to water, overcharged, or improperly packed. The FAA imposes size limits on these batteries for flights. So far this year, the FAA has recorded at least 56 incidents involving smoke, fire, or overheating from lithium batteries on flights. This follows a February incident where an Alaska Airlines flight returned to Seattle after a passenger's power bank overheated and caught fire.

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Thermal runaway can occur without warning as a result of various factors, including if the battery is damaged, overheated, exposed to water, overcharged, or improperly packed.