American Airlines Flight Crew Extinguishes Laptop Cabin Fire Midair

Flight attendants aboard American Airlines Flight 2398 contained a midair laptop fire as the aircraft traveled from Atlanta, Georgia, to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Friday.

The pilot alerted air traffic control of a cabin fire in the rear of the plane while flight attendants scrambled to douse the burning electronics during the flight's landing approach.

According to audio obtained by CBS News, air traffic control communications revealed the urgency of the situation on board.

"the flight attendants are trying to put it out now", said the pilot.

The captain provided further details regarding passenger injuries and the location of the burning device during the recorded radio transmission.

"I think we have about four to five passengers that were burned by the laptop. The laptop is contained about mid-aircraft." said the pilot.

Passenger Jessica Irgens recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the landing during an interview with Good Morning America.

"it was absolutely terrifying." said Irgens.

She described seeing sudden flames and thick smoke breaking out just a few rows ahead of her seat.

"I just saw the smoke first, and then it all happened really fast," said Irgens.

Irgens noted that the passenger tried to move the burning device away from himself, prompting nearby travelers to assist the crew in quelling the flames.

"He was trying to get it away form him into the aisle." said Irgens.

She added that multiple passengers suffered burns while attempting to put out the blaze alongside crew members.

"There were two individuals that had their hands in bags of ice and they were, you know, shaking visibly, just very, like, shocked," said Irgens.

Flight attendants eventually secured the smoking laptop inside a thermal containment bag, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Emergency personnel met the aircraft at the gate after it taxied safely following landing.

American Airlines confirmed in a statement on Saturday that the plane landed without further incident after crew members addressed reports of smoke from a customer's device. One individual received medical treatment on-site at the airport and was subsequently released.

The FAA warns that damaged, overheated, overcharged, or improperly packed lithium batteries present severe thermal runaway risks. The aviation regulator has logged 58 verified incidents involving lithium battery smoke or fire aboard aircraft this year, noting that laptop devices account for 84 such safety incidents over the last two decades.