A British Airways flight had a tense moment over the tarmac at Harry Reid International Airport on Monday afternoon when a cellphone caught fire on board, airport officials said. Crew members declared an alert as firefighters staged on the runway for the jet’s arrival, then moved in after landing to douse the small blaze. The aircraft later taxied to its gate, and authorities reported no immediate injuries.
According to FOX5, the Clark County Fire Department received the call at 2:14 p.m. and confirmed crews fully extinguished the fire. The outlet reported that the aircraft landed safely, taxied to the gate as normal, and that no additional details were immediately available.
Lithium Batteries And Thermal Runaway
The incident highlights a familiar and growing concern in modern air travel: lithium-ion batteries and what happens when they fail. UL Standards & Engagement reported in a 2024 data review that airlines now see an average of two thermal-runaway battery incidents per week. The FAA’s PackSafe guidance warns that damaged, mishandled, or improperly stored power banks and spare batteries can ignite, and regulators say those items should be kept in the cabin where crews can respond quickly.
British Airways Policy And Passenger Tips
British Airways baggage rules bar spare batteries from checked luggage and cap power banks at two per passenger, with terminals protected so they cannot short out. The airline outlines its restrictions on British Airways.
Safety guidance for travelers is straightforward: passengers should tell crew members immediately if a device is overheating or starts to smoke, and keep spare batteries in carry-on bags where they are easy to reach and monitor so crews can spot and contain problems fast.
Airport and airline officials had no additional comment Monday. Investigators may inspect the device as part of routine safety follow-up, and this story will be updated as authorities release more information.
_@_LHR,_Jan_2020.jpg){kind=link}