Five passengers on American Airlines sustained burns when a laptop ignited inside its flight with more than 130 passengers, as per reports.
The pilot reported that the hands of the injured passengers were scorched during the incident. The aircraft landed safely, and emergency personnel were present on the ground to assist the passengers, one of whom needed medical attention, as reported by the BBC. “After landing, the aircraft taxied to the gate under its own power.
As of August 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has documented 58 incidents involving lithium batteries that resulted in smoke or fire on passenger aircraft this year. “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. Thermal runaway can also occur on its own due to manufacturing defects.”
Per procedure, emergency personnel met the aircraft upon arrival to the gate,” American Airlines told PEOPLE. “All lithium-ion batteries are capable of overheating and undergoing a process called thermal runaway,” the FAA says on its website. The pilot communicated about a cabin fire in the rear of the aircraft during the flight from Atlanta , Georgia, to Dallas , Texas, on Friday, according to air traffic control audio acquired by CBS News.
