VIDEO: The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after a battery fire onboard a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 flying from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale prompted an emergency landing in Fort Myers, Florida, Monday morning. Flight 1334 was flying with 191 people onboard when the crew reported smoke in the cabin, according to the FAA.
โFlight attendants worked quickly to extinguish a probable burning personal battery belonging to a customer while pilots followed procedures to safely divert the flight,โ a Delta spokesperson said in a statement. The FAA allowsย most consumer personal electronic devices with lithium-ion batteries in checked and carry-on luggage. However, spare batteries are only allowed in bags passengers take into the cabin with them.
โThe backpack has been contained. We think it was a lithium battery that caused the smoke and the fire,โ the pilot radioed to firefighters on the ground at Fort Meyers airport, according to a recording by LiveATC.net. โItโs in a containment bag. No smoke in the cabin at this point. No active fire.โ Planes carry fireproof containment bags where burning batteries can be isolated until landing.
No injuries were reported, according to the airline. โWe appreciate the quick work and actions by our people to follow their training, and we apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels,โ the Delta spokesperson said.
