FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Li-ion Battery Fire Onboard UA918 IAD-LHR 10/20/2024
Old Oct 28, 2024 | 7:44 am
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LarryJ
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Originally Posted by jasonvr
Once I sat up I saw the FAs frantically ripping the cushions off of 10G. Male FA had full arm length fireproof gloves on and they continued spraying fire extinguishers. Coworkers on the flight said that pax lost their phone and moved the seat, crushing the battery and starting the fire. They said the fire/smoke was going pretty good before the extinguishers (and I guess the first couple extinguishers didn't work for some reason) .... In addition to the fireproof gloves, there was also a fireproof bag for the phone so it could be safely isolated.

Guess no one really does pay attention to the safety video anymore since not moving the seat is prominently called out.
We have two of the containment bags on the narrow-bodies, one of which is in the flight deck. I don't know if there is a third on the wide-bodies. The bags include the fireproof gloves.



Then fire extinguishers can not put out a battery fire. They can slow it down, but the best way to fight it is with liquid which cools it down. The fire extinguishers can put out fires in surrounding materials but getting it in the fire containment bag is the goal. That's why loose batteries can not be in checked bags and why the batteries must be removed from smart bags in the cabin. They have to be accessible so that they can be put into the containment bag.

Those containment bags are put to use far more often than I would have thought.
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