Mobile phone on fire 8th row
 

You are taxiing out a passengers mobile phone is on fire. A320

suggestions for instructing cabin crew on dealing with this, please
on the best way

thanks

Cabin crew should already know. Fight any visible fire with a fire extinguisher, unplug it if it’s plugged in, saturate it, put it in a water proof container and cover with water. There’s more in our manual but that’s the gist of it.

There are very good Fire Training sims for cabin crew that cover all aspects of cabin events. Proper training should ensure correct reactions.

Outta window???

Outta window???

Have you seen a lithium fire ?

There are plenty of links on the net for reference. For example Lithium battery fires and safety - Renew

I'd suggest informing the cabin crew rather than asking PPRuNe... probably get a more prompt response!

Having said that, you would expect the cabin crew to fight the fire in the first instance, then remove said item and place into a galley canister (empty!) and then to cover with water. I would imagine that the flight wouldn't continue.

Aren't some airlines carrying battery fire containment bags?

Example (not an endorsement in any way - use at own risk) Lithium battery safety bag for thermal runaway fires - LithiumSafe

I would not want to use an extinguisher on a battery fire - problem one is that the source of ignition energy is inside the phone as is the organic electrolyte that can fuel the fire. Use one, class D, preferred, if you have to or to extinguish surrounding materials. As long as the lithium ion cell has charge it can re-start and it might be some time after it seems safe, so an extinguisher alone is insufficient protection.

Water submersion is also good, but of course it's on fire and will likely severely injure anyone just grabbing it bare handed. Using water ensures the cells remain below the ignition temperature and keeps air away from the ignition source.

There is no free lithium worth mentioning in lithium ion cells so the aggressive metal fires that water makes worse aren't a concern. This danger is the case for primary lithium cells (non-rechargeable/single use). Those will react badly if ruptured and made wet.

Sarcasm, dry humor, irony... that arcane and lost art...

C'mon, now, all in good humour. The worry was that some were bound to take your comment at face value.

https://www.ifalpa.org/media/3864/22...ponse-kits.pdf

It has been brought to IFALPA’s attention that some airlines have been installing containment bags or boxes and/or gloves in their aircraft as part of their Dangerous Goods smoke or fire response kits to deal with Portable Electronic Device (PED) thermal runaways. The Federation’s main concern with the use of these items is the process of safely handling a reacting PED. Because Lithium battery thermal runaways tend to propagate from cell to cell, it is extremely dangerous to move these items before the device has cooled. It should be noted that cooling a reacting device with large amounts of water has been demonstrated to be very effective in controlling the propagation of the thermal runaway. IFALPA is concerned with the safety risks involved in picking up and moving a device in thermal runaway into a bag or box, or to another location in the aircraft. IFALPA therefore believes that the provision of such items is only appropriate if a safe method of transferring reacting devices has been demonstrated, if adequate procedures have been developed, and if appropriate training has been provided to all crew Members

That would be why our procedure is to fight the fire and saturate it before moving it.