“It’s a very significant problem.”
That is how Robert Sloan, senior vice president and chief scientist at UL Solutions, describes the growing risk tied to everyday devices powered by lithium‑ion batteries. Phones, laptops, vapes, power banks, and other rechargeable technology travel with passengers every day. Increasingly, they are also linked to fires on planes, ships, and on the ground.
Cars, laptops, and even children’s toys have caught fire because of what is inside them: lithium‑ion batteries.
A few weeks ago, a widely shared video showed flames erupting after a dog chewed on a cellphone charger. The CBS News Texas I‑Team has spent months investigating what regulators, airlines, and safety experts are doing to prevent similar incidents. Some critics say not enough is being done on the ground, at sea, and in the air.
Warnings begin before takeoff
Before passengers ever leave the gate, the warnings begin.
“Any spare lithium‑ion batteries or e‑cigarettes in your bag?”
Announcements onboard urge caution.
“If you lose your phone or other device under your seat, please do not adjust your seat,” one announcement says. “Notify a cabin director immediately.”
The instructions are clear, but most passengers have no idea why they hear them.
Fires and emergency landings
Last year, panic erupted on an American Airlines jet when a laptop battery ignited.
“It was absolute chaos. I truly felt like every for themselves, and it was terrifying,” passenger Shilpa Patel said.
Two months ago, another battery fire in an overhead bin forced an emergency landing in China.
“We think it was a lithium battery that caused the smoke and the fire,” the pilot said.
This summer, the Federal Aviation Administration released photos of a charred backpack that burst into flames on a Delta flight.
FAA records show 80 lithium‑ion battery‑related incidents on planes so far in 2025 — nearly two a week. Since 2006, the FAA has logged more than 678 incidents involving smoke, fire, or extreme heat.
Data from UL Standards and Engagement shows nearly one in five of those events led to emergency landings or evacuations.
“If there is no means to contain the fire, that’s an imminent threat to passengers,” Sloan said.
A chain reaction called thermal runaway
Sloan explains that heat and pressure can trigger a chain reaction known as thermal runaway. One battery ignites, and that ignition can spread quickly.
UL Standards and Engagement data finds the biggest offenders include e‑cigarettes and vapes, power banks, cellphones and laptops.
“It’s actually even worse if there is a battery in the cargo hole down under the plane, where a fire can take place and no detection of it in time,” Sloan said.
A UL study also found airline crews know the procedures but reported “self‑identified gaps” in training. It states that passengers are not always told the real reason behind safety instructions.
“We always say if one of your devices gets lodged or falls between or under a seat, ask the flight attendant for help,” a flight attendant said in the study. “We never say the reason.”
Flight attendants raise concerns
Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, says the risk is widely understood by crews.
“Flight attendants are extremely concerned about lithium‑ion batteries because they’re a part of our workforce every single day,” Nelson said. “You look around the plane, and you can see them everywhere.”
Southwest tries something new
One Dallas‑based airline is taking a different approach.
“Is Southwest the only U.S. airline that has passed this policy?” the I‑Team asked.
“Yes,” said Captain Dave Hunt, vice president of safety and security for Southwest Airlines.
This fall, Southwest adopted a new rule: All devices must now be charged in plain sight. They cannot be charged inside bags or in seatbacks.
“We had a customer who had a portable power bank,” Hunt recalled. “It was connected to their phone, and it was in their seatback. It started to smoke and afterheat.”
Because the device was visible, the crew was able to intervene before a major emergency.
Containment bags — tested and approved by UL to hold battery fires and explosions in flight — are not federally required.
When asked whether Southwest requires them, Hunt replied, “We do.”
American Airlines and Delta said they also carry containment bags on all flights. JetBlue, Frontier and United did not respond.
The risk reaches the sea
The danger is not limited to air travel.
“When I first told you about this issue, the first thing you said was ships,” the I‑Team asked CarPro radio host and automobile expert Jerry Reynolds.
“We know of three ships that have sank since 2022,” Reynolds said. “…about 10,000 cars were lost. Two of the ships remain at the bottom of the ocean. One incident included a fatality.”
In June, a cargo ship carrying thousands of electric vehicles burned for weeks before sinking off Alaska.
“The fire suppression on those ships just isn’t built for electric cars and lithium‑ion batteries,” Reynolds said.
In July, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a safety alert stating that “as lithium‑ion battery technology evolves, additional guidance may be released.”
“We know some small fire departments can’t carry enough water to put these batteries out,” Reynolds said.
Firefighters prepare on the ground
In September, the I‑Team watched North Texas fire departments testing tools to fight lithium‑ion fires.
Several departments admitted they are also waiting for federal guidance about the best means to battle the growing problem.
Regulators and safety groups have described lithium‑ion batteries as a “growing threat” and a “hazard” that remains a risk.
Calls for federal action in the air
Airline experts and industry leaders say federal direction may soon be necessary.
“I think there’s more opportunity from the FAA,” Hunt said. “TSA currently screens all bags that go in the cargo bin. They will often flag bags that do have large batteries in for us, but it’s not a requirement. I would like to see the regulations evolve.”
“In the safety world, we’re very open and transparent,” he added. “If something’s a risk, then we acknowledge it.”
The I‑Team requested interviews with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The FAA declined to answer questions. A spokesperson instead pointed to a safety alert issued in August recommending airlines review their policies. Critics say the alert stopped short of requiring new regulations.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said new federal safety rules for e‑bikes and scooters are under review. The agency has previously referred to some devices as “ticking time bombs” and “a threat that’s left scores of people dead.”
Research and hope for safer designs
There are efforts underway to make batteries safer.
Sloan says research is progressing, and some of it is taking place in Texas.
He told the I‑Team that safer battery designs are about five years away. He also said he is encouraged by airline commitments to containment bags and stronger policies.
What travelers should know
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Keep electronics and spare batteries in carry‑on luggage, not checked bags.
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Devices should remain visible while charging.
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Only use UL‑approved devices.
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If a device feels hot or begins to swell, passengers should stop using it and notify crew members immediately.
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