Two injured after cell phone battery sparks fire on Southwest flight in Denver

DENVER – More than 100 passengers were evacuated from a Southwest Airlines plane at Denver International Airport Friday after a cell phone battery sparked a fire in the cabin. 

A Southwest spokesperson said the plane was still at the gate when the fire started before 7 a.m. as it prepared to take off for Houston. 

Passengers in the back of the plane used the rear emergency slides while the crew extinguished the seat fire caused by the burning cell phone. 

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One passenger reported a minor injury during evacuation, and the person whose phone caught fire was treated for burns. 

Southwest said it was working to find flights for the 108 passengers on board, and the fire remains under investigation. 

FAA data shows this is not an isolated incident. According to the National Business Aviation Association, smoke, fire and extreme heat incidents involving lithium-ion batteries happen aboard airplanes more than once a week on average in the U.S. 

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Citing FAA data, the NBAA reports there were 208 incidents involving lithium-ion battery packs, 111 involving e-cigarettes and vaping devices, 68 involving cell phones and 60 involving laptop computers.