Source: Kevin Derby | www.aviationa2z.com

Passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines (WN) Boeing 737 evacuated after a cell phone battery ignited and caused a seat fire while the aircraft was at the gate at Denver International Airport (DEN).

The incident occurred Friday as the plane prepared for departure to Houston with 108 passengers onboard.

According to Southwest, passengers at the rear of the plane evacuated using emergency slides, while those at the front exited via the jet bridge. Crew members extinguished the seat fire.

Preliminary reports indicate one passenger sustained a minor injury during the evacuation, and the passenger whose phone battery ignited is receiving treatment for burns.

A Spokesperson for the airline stated,

“Southwest’s customer care team is working to accommodate the passengers on another aircraft to their original destination of Houston. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its customers and employees.”

The flight WN3316 arrived in Houston at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) three hours later than scheduled, according to FlightAware.

The aircraft involved in the incident is a Boeing 737-700, registered as N429WN. Further, it is a 22-year-old aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed it would investigate the incident. Southwest stated that the cause of the battery malfunction remains under investigation.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed a more than 42% increase in lithium-ion battery fires on passenger planes over the past five years, according to data provided to CBS News.

Lithium-ion batteries, widely used in devices like cell phones, laptops, and tablets, have become a growing safety concern. FAA data indicates that since 2021, there has been at least one lithium-ion battery-related incident aboard a U.S. passenger plane every week.

In response to the risks, the FAA banned uninstalled lithium-ion batteries from checked luggage in 2020. Passengers are required to keep these batteries in their carry-on bags to allow quick access in case of an emergency.