Originally Posted by Jonno_aus
What if the bag was in the hold and it catches fire while the aircraft is halfway over the Pacific?
It's only matter of time before we're going to find out.
A cargo bin fire, when they're 3 hrs or more from a suitable alternate, is not going to be a pleasant experience for the flight crew.
Murphey's law will ensure that the diversion runway will be short and the weather will be crap at night.