What can be done to prevent lithium-ion battery fires on airplanes?

[0:00]When we fly, many of us, maybe even most of us have electronic devices and battery packs. But battery fires are a real concern and some airlines are now limiting their use. Tonight, CBS's Chris Van Cleave takes us to an FAA Research Center working to fix the problem. Dramatic cell phone video of a fire burning in the overhead bin on an Air China flight last October. The airline says a lithium battery stored in a passenger's bag spontaneously caught fire. We've got a mayday, mayday, mayday. There's a fire in the back of the aircraft. Start the fire rescue. And in 2024, San Francisco firefighters rush to handle this burning battery. Flight attendants are incredibly concerned about lithium batteries because they're a part of our workplace every single day. We do need to have better tools. We need to have as much focus on this as possible. Work to do that is happening inside this lab in Atlantic City. The FAA is studying exploding lithium ion batteries. This test focused on luggage is part of a larger series looking at battery fires in the overhead bin. Inside the bag, a power bank in thermal runway, a chemical reaction resulting in uncontrollable overheating of the battery sparking a fire that burned hot enough to melt our cameras. Now, think about that fire in the cargo hold of an airplane. That's why airlines don't want lithium ion batteries in your check bags. It is the worst thing that could happen on an airplane. Robert Oaks is overseeing the testing. So, what we're looking at now is is there a safer place to put these and can we develop guidance based on that? If you're on the plane, what do you do? So, if you notice that your device is say overheating or getting hot to the touch, it is starting to swell or smoke. Immediately call the flight attendant and they will fight that fire. Our guidance is to use water, as much water as possible to cool the batteries. The number of fires is rising. 96 last year account for about 14% of the incidents over the last 20 years. Most have been caused by battery packs and vape devices. The researchers showed us how dangerous a power bank fire can be in the cabin. Look at how fast this seat back goes up in flames as the fire burns it over 1500 degrees as potentially toxic fumes and thick smoke fill the air. It will burn very hot and very intense, that will set adjacent materials on fire very quickly. Several foreign carriers have banned fliers from using power banks during a flight. Southwest Airlines has some of the strictest battery rules among US carriers, requiring portable chargers and spare batteries to be with the passenger in the cabin and when in use, be visible to crew members. CEO Bob Jordan. The main thing here is we're getting in front of any safety issue and I feel comfortable not only that we're doing the right thing, but that other carriers will adopt our standards. So far this year, there have been at least nine verified battery incidents on planes in the US, another six are still under investigation. Eight of them on commercial airliners, most involving power banks. In those cases, flight attendants responded with water and then put the devices in a containment bag that's kept on board.