When a lithium battery fire breaks out, “putting it out” is not enough. To truly contain it, you must extinguish visible flames, aggressively cool the battery cells, and then isolate the device inside a certified containment product designed for lithium‑ion thermal runaway—ideally one tested to the UL5800 standard for portable electronic devices used in aircraft.
Why Lithium Battery Fires Are Different
Lithium‑ion batteries don’t behave like ordinary fires. Once a cell fails, it can enter thermal runaway, creating a chain reaction where neighboring cells overheat, vent, and ignite. Even if the visible flames are gone, the pack can continue to generate heat, flammable gases, and smoke, and it can re‑ignite minutes later.
On an aircraft, this is especially dangerous. You can’t evacuate at 35,000 feet, and traditional suppression systems alone (like halon) are not enough to stop the chemical reaction happening inside the cells. That’s why the strategy has shifted from “just extinguish” to “extinguish, cool, and contain.”
The Three Essential Steps to Contain a Lithium Battery Fire
Whether the incident happens in a hangar, office, or aircraft cabin, the fundamentals are the same: protect people, stop the flames, cool the cells, then contain the device.
1. Extinguish Visible Flames
The first priority is stopping open flames so they don’t spread to surrounding materials.
- Use an appropriate extinguisher to quickly knock down flames (for aircraft, this is typically halon or an approved equivalent).
- Don’t assume the event is over once the flames disappear; with lithium‑ion, extinguishment is just step one.
2. Cool the Battery to Stop Thermal Runaway
Thermal runaway is driven by heat. If you don’t remove that heat, the reaction can continue inside the cells.
- Apply a generous amount of water or other approved non‑alcoholic liquid directly onto the device.
- Focus on sustained cooling, not a quick splash. The goal is to lower cell temperatures enough to prevent additional cells from going into runaway and to reduce the risk of re‑ignition.
3. Contain and Isolate the Device
Once flames are out and cooling has begun, the device still poses a risk. It may continue to off‑gas, vent hot material, or flare back up.
- Place the device into a dedicated lithium battery fire containment product—ideally one that is designed to handle high heat, smoke, and pressure.
- If the product is designed to be partially filled with water or other liquid, that fluid continues to cool the device while the containment system manages heat, smoke, and debris.
- Keep the device sealed in the containment unit and isolated in a safe location until it can be offloaded and handled per your safety procedures.
On an Airplane: How Crews Contain a Lithium Battery Fire
Cabin and cockpit environments add constraints: limited space, high passenger density, and no way to “step outside” if smoke and fumes build up. That’s why airlines, corporate flight departments, and regulators have converged around a structured response.
A typical in‑flight sequence looks like this:
1. Alert, protect, and reposition
The crew notifies the flight deck immediately so pilots can run smoke/fume checklists and prepare for a possible diversion. Passengers are moved away from the device, and the crew protects themselves (oxygen masks, smoke goggles) as needed.
2. Knock down open flames
A halon or equivalent extinguisher is used to rapidly suppress visible flames and prevent ignition of nearby materials like seats, carpet, or sidewalls.
3. Cool the device aggressively
Water or other approved non‑alcoholic liquid is applied directly to the device to cool the battery. This cooling phase is critical to slow or stop thermal runaway and to reduce the risk of recurrent ignition.
4. Transfer into a dedicated containment product
As soon as it’s safe and practical, the device is carefully placed into a lithium battery fire containment bag or box. Many modern systems are designed so crew can add water inside the unit, combining active cooling with physical containment of heat, smoke, flames, and potential shrapnel.
5. Secure and monitor until landing
The sealed containment product is stowed in a designated safe area away from passengers and critical systems. The crew continues to monitor the situation until the aircraft is on the ground and the device can be turned over to maintenance, safety, or fire professionals.
This “extinguish, cool, and contain” workflow recognizes that the event isn’t over when the fire looks out. It’s about safely buying time and control until you can land and hand off the hazard.
Where UL5800 Comes In (And Why It Matters)
Not all “fireproof products” are created equal. UL5800 was developed specifically to test the performance of containment systems intended for lithium‑ion battery fires in portable electronic devices, particularly in aviation and other confined environments.
In practical terms, UL5800‑certified containment products are evaluated for:
- Their ability to tolerate and manage the intense heat and pressure from a device in full thermal runaway.
- Their capacity to contain flames, hot particles, smoke, and potentially toxic gases.
- Their performance during realistic battery failure scenarios, not just simple material flammability tests.
For operators, this offers a clear benchmark. Instead of relying on marketing claims or generic “fire‑resistant” materials, you can choose a system that has been independently tested against a standard built around the exact problem you are trying to solve: containing lithium‑ion portable device fires in tight, occupied spaces like aircraft cabins and cockpits.
Putting It All Together for Your Operation
If your passengers or crews travel with phones, tablets, laptops, e‑cigarettes, headsets, or battery packs—as they almost always do—you have a lithium battery fire risk on board.
A modern, defensible approach looks like this:
- Train crews on the three‑step method: extinguish, cool, and contain.
- Equip aircraft with the right extinguishers and an ample source of water or non‑alcoholic liquid.
- Stock UL5800‑certified lithium battery fire containment products that integrate into your standard operating procedures.
- Practice the full workflow regularly so your team can execute it under stress.
When someone asks, “How do you contain a lithium battery fire, especially on a plane?” the honest answer is: you don’t rely on a single tool or trick. You combine proper extinguishing, aggressive cooling, and a UL5800‑tested containment solution to manage the event from first spark to safe landing.