Five people were injured when a laptop caught fire aboard a US flight from Atlanta to Dallas. Crew members quickly extinguished the flames, but several passengers suffered hand burns, according to infohub.kz.
The incident occurred on an American Airlines flight 2398 from Atlanta to Dallas. During descent and approach to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, a passenger's laptop caught fire in the rear of the cabin.
The fire was caused by thermal runaway of a lithium-ion battery. The cabin quickly filled with smoke. Flight attendants acted swiftly: they managed to put out the flames and moved the overheated device into a special thermal protective container to prevent further spread of fire.
As a result, up to five passengers suffered hand burns while trying to help or being near the source of the fire. The captain reported the smoke to air traffic controllers, after which the plane landed safely at the destination airport and taxied to the gate on its own.
On the ground, the aircraft was met by emergency services and medical teams. Victims received medical assistance right at the airport. The airline thanked the crew for their professionalism in handling the fire.