A passenger's laptop caught fire mid-air aboard American Airlines Flight 2398 from Atlanta, prompting the pilot to report a cabin fire and warn that up to five passengers may have suffered burns.
The aircraft, carrying 133 people, later landed safely at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport without any serious incident.
In communications with air traffic control, the pilot said, “Cabin fire in the back of the airplane. The flight attendants are trying to put it out now.”
The pilot added, “I think we have about four to five passengers that were burned by the laptop. The laptop is about mid-aircraft.”
However, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport later said that only one person from the flight was treated for injuries.
American Airlines later praised its crew for their “professionalism and swift response” in containing the fire.
Although the official cause of the fire has not yet been established, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warns that lithium-ion batteries in laptops and other electronic devices can overheat and cause fires.
At least 56 in-flight incidents involving lithium batteries, including smoke, fire or overheating, have been reported so far in 2026.