Returning to the original QUESTION in the first slot of this thread, seeking information on actual inflight incidents involving lithium-batteries --
I was surprised that there were ONLY two incidents recorded in the CSRTG's online data-base (link shown in message #8). Neither of those two involved a LAPTOP computer.
Searching around some other papers, stumbled on an FAA document:
www.faa.gov/about/office_org/.../Battery_incident_chart.pdf
"
BATTERIES & BATTERY-POWERED DEVICES
Aviation Incidents Involving Smoke, Fire, Extreme Heat or Explosion
As of August 3, 2010,
113 air incidents involving batteries have been recorded since March 20, 1991"
These incidents were MOSTLY inside cargo & baggage [some Overhead Bin incidents).
This document shows ONE Laptop event, inflight, while in-use:
08-AUG-2008
Lithium ion/Type CF623/11.1-volt
Dell laptop computer
Passenger
While in flight, a passenger on American Airlines flight 1539 from Washington National to Dallas Ft Worth, noticed his Dell laptop was smoking. The passenger removed the battery pack and gave it to a flight attendant. The flight attendant placed the battery in a coffee pot in the aft gallery and poured water and Sprite on it.
Here's a news story from Feb2010, with related analysis of such events:
Exploding batteries on planes: Rare and small risk | Reuters