Passenger burned after laptop computer catches fire aboard American Airlines flight to Dallas

The incident comes as the FAA continues to warn about the dangers lithium-ion rechargeable batteries pose to aircraft, including those found in laptops, cell phones, and other common devices.

A passenger was treated for burn injuries after a laptop caught fire aboard an American Airlines flight from Atlanta to Dallas on Friday, CBS News reported.

American Airlines flight 2398 was carrying 133 passengers when the fire occured, igniting about 30 minutes before landing, CBS reported, citing a passenger.

"We're hustling down now," the flight's pilot said to air traffic control (ATC) after reporting the fire. "The flight attendants are trying to put it out now."

According to CBS, the laptop's owner tossed the burning laptop into the aisle, where the flight crew contained it in a thermal bag after about five minutes.

The pilot later confirmed to ATC that the fire, which he said at the time he believed injured "four to five passengers," was contained to the back of the Airbus A321 before requesting an expedited approach to Dallas and medical services upon arrival.

The flight landed at Dallas without incident and taxied to a gate, whereupon firefighters boarded the aircraft, according to footage published by ABC News.

The dangers of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries onboard aircraft

The incident comes as the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to warn about the dangers that devices containing lithium-ion rechargeable batteries pose to aircraft, including laptops, cell phones, and other common devices.

The FAA says the danger lies in a phenomenon called "thermal runaway," which can occur when a battery is damaged, overheated, exposed to certain elements, or simply defective.

For this reason, FAA regulations require all large lithium-ion batteries, like those in portable chargers, to be carried onboard an aircraft in carry-on luggage (as opposed to checked luggage), so the flight crew can more easily identify and extinguish a fire if thermal runaway occurs, with certain sizes and quantities of batteries banned altogether.