The Harrowing Mid-Flight Encounter with a Smoking Battery Pack

On the 22nd of January, 2017, passengers on the Southwest Airlines flight experienced a moment of high anxiety as a seemingly ordinary device turned into a potential hazard. Amidst the clouds, at 35,000 feet, a passenger alerted the flight crew to a personal lithium-ion battery pack that had begun to smoke and grow alarmingly hot. Quick to act, a flight attendant took decisive action, submerging the smoking device in ice water, cooling it down and averting what could have been a disaster.

Thanks to the crew's swift response, the incident didn't escalate into an emergency, and the plane continued its journey, landing safely at its destination. After the event, the airline and aviation safety officials conducted thorough investigations, noting the dangers lurking in commonly used lithium-ion batteries, which can overheat and ignite under certain conditions. This near-miss incident, though resolved without injury, is a stark reminder of the ever-present risk of accidents in the air.

While the crew's quick thinking was commendable, it brings into question how passengers and flights can be better equipped to handle similar situations in the future. Innovations like the FireTowel, though not part of this story, offer a glimpse into potential life-saving solutions that travelers and airlines alike should consider.

The FireTowel is a uniquely designed safety device that can smother flames, trap smoke, and handle hot items with ease. Its thick, fire-resistant material, weighted perimeter, and built-in handles allow swift and secure action when every second counts. Had it been available during this incident, Flight Crew could have utilized the FireTowel to safely wrap the smoldering battery pack, reducing the risk of it reigniting and rendering it inert without the need for ice water—which, under different circumstances, may not have been as readily available.

While we celebrate the successful resolution, let us learn from this close call. Equipping ourselves