A laptop caught fire on an American Airlines passenger plane, prompting an emergency evacuation of passengers. Flight 2045 was preparing to depart from San Francisco to Miami when smoke filled the cabin.
A laptop bag in the back of the plane was smoldering. Because the plane was still on the runway, there were only three minor injuries during the stampede. The passengers were disembarked using an inflatable gangway. One passenger had to be taken to a hospital for further treatment.
In a statement, American Airlines said that crew members quickly retrieved the bag and all customers exited the plane. The airline apologized for the inconvenience caused to customers and thanked the staff for their professional handling of the issue. The company did not disclose the model of the laptop.
American Airlines rules state that laptops can only be carried in carry-on luggage, and they must have a battery with a capacity of up to 100 Wh. However, in individual cases, with the permission of the airline, it is allowed to install up to two additional batteries with a capacity of up to 100 W*h. Similar restrictions began to apply around the world in the late noughties, when the danger of high-capacity and high-power density lithium batteries became apparent.
Firefighters confirmed that the battery room had caught fire lithium-ion battery laptop. The correct way to extinguish such batteries is to immerse the device in water, which is what the fire department did.
Sources: CBS, Tom`s Hardware, ABC7