A lithium battery fire on a plane filling the cabin with toxic smoke
All these personal electronic devices are powered by lithium batteries
An AvSax lithium battery fire containment bag
A portable battery charger being placed inside an AvSax lithium battery fire containment bag
An AvSax means passenger planes don't need to make costly and disruptive mid-air diversions and emergency landings
There have been 10 lithium battery fires on aircraft in just a month.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the USA has revealed the huge number which is thought to be the highest ever tally in such a short space of time.
The FAA has recorded the 10 incidents between July 15, 2024 and August 14, 2024 – including two on the same day - and released details to the public.
But they also warn this may not be all the incidents, stressing: “These are lithium battery related events involving smoke, fire or extreme heat that the FAA is aware of and should not be considered a complete listing of all such incidents.”
It follows a recent shock report by UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) in the USA showing a 28% increase in battery thermal runaway incidents – a record high – on aircraft yet limited passenger awareness of the dangers of lithium-ion batteries while flying.
Many passengers don’t even know their personal electronic devices are powered by lithium batteries and are ignorant of the rule that all devices must always be taken into the passenger cabin with them and never put in checked luggage in the aircraft hold.
ULSE is a nonprofit organisation that translates safety science into action through setting standards and since 1903 has developed nearly 1,700 standards and guidance documents for products ranging from fire doors to autonomous vehicles. You can read more on its lithium battery report at https://avsax.com/news/shock-report-reveals-massive-rise-in-the-number-of-lithium-battery-fires-on-board-planes
When lithium batteries overheat or are damaged they go into thermal runaway and when this happens one cell in a battery overheats it can produce enough heat – up to 900°C (1652°F) – to cause adjacent cells to overheat.
The heat generated by chemical reactions inside the battery causes even more heat, leading to a continuous rise in temperature. This can result in the battery venting and releasing toxic flammable gases, exploding or catching fire and because they burn at such a high temperature they are very difficult to put out.
This is why many airline companies are now equipped with AvSax lithium battery thermal fire mitigation bags and there are now on board almost 17,000 aircraft globally and have been deployed in action dozens of times. When they are deployed the aircraft is safe and can continue to its scheduled destination without having to make a diversion or emergency landing which is both costly and highly disruptive for passengers.
Here are the full details about the 10 incidents which happened in just one month – and many were quickly resolved with the devices put into thermal containment bags.
July 15, 2024: A flight attendant on a Southwest Airlines plane observed smoke coming from a passenger’s carry-on bag during the boarding process in San Jose, California. This was caused by a flashlight burning a hole in the carry-on bag so the flashlight was placed in a thermal containment bag and removed from the aircraft. The flight departed after a brief delay.
July 25, 2024: During an American Airlines flight from Dallas in Texas to Memphis, Tennessee, a passenger detected an odour and alerted the flight attendant. The passenger then discovered his carry-on bag was warm and found that his e-cigarette had activated inside his carry-on bag. The e-cigarette was placed inside a thermal containment bag.
July 29, 2024: During the boarding process on a Southwest Airlines plane from Dallas to Las Vegas a passenger was charging their cellular phone with a portable battery charger. The portable battery charger suddenly began to overheat and emit smoke. A flight attendant used a fire extinguisher but the passenger sustained minor burns. The portable battery charger was removed from the aircraft and the flight departed after a brief delay.
August 1, 2024: On a SkyWest Airlines flight from Albany in New York to Chicago in Illinois a flight attendant’s mobile phone was crushed between the seats and overheated. The attendant poured water on the phone and placed it in a thermal containment bag so the flight was able to continue to its destination.
August 3, 2024: During a United Airlines flight from Newark in New Jersey to Cape Town in South Africa a passenger broke his cellular phone, causing a thermal event. After a Halon extinguisher and water were used on the phone it was placed inside a thermal containment bag for the rest of the flight which continued to its destination without further incident.
August 4, 2024: During a United Airlines flight from Changi Airport in Singapore to San Francisco in California a passenger’s laptop fell between the seats. After it was retrieved the passenger notified the flight attendant the laptop was damaged and was warm. The crew member placed the laptop in a thermal containment bag for the rest of the flight and it was returned to the passenger when they arrived at their destination.
August 4, 2024: During a Southwest Airlines flight from Chicago to Miami a passenger notified a flight attendant that their mobile phone was emitting smoke so it was put in a thermal containment bag. The flight diverted to West Palm Beach in Florida and the passengers taken to Miami via shuttle service.
August 9, 2024: During a United Airlines flight from Cleveland in Ohio to Fort Lauderdale in Florida a passenger’s electronic device began to swell. As a precaution the device was placed in a thermal containment bag for the remainder of the flight and returned to the passenger when they arrived at their destination.
August 11, 2024: During an American Airlines flight from Dallas to La Guardia in New York an e-cigarette overheated in a passenger’s pocket. A flight attendant placed the e-cigarette in a thermal containment bag and the flight continued to its destination without further incident. The e-cigarette was not returned to the passenger.
August 14, 2024: During a Federal Express ground handling process at the cargo facility in Memphis ground personnel dragged a package containing lithium batteries which caught fire. There were no reports of injury.
For more information on AvSax lithium battery thermal mitigation bags go to https://avsax.com/
