When a laptop’s battery began to smoke, an plane had to be evacuated. The problem is that it is no longer an isolated case

Airlines fear the flammable potential of devices Like Power Banks Or large laptops, and therefore establish capacity limits in batteries that can go on board in cab. A good example of the situations that seek to avoid we have had on an American Airlines flight, where a bag containing a laptop He started to smoke. What happened. While the shipment was carried out at the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) of flight 2045 to Miami, there was a small stampery with shouts like “fire in the rear.” The deceased was the smoke that came out of the bag of a passenger. The crew acted quickly, starting the evacuation of the aircraft and taking out the bag. What was done. The airline workers instructed passengers to leave the plane in order. However, as can be seen in a Video recorded insidethe hall became a chaos where passengers ignored one of the requests: leave bags, suitcases and other belongings in the cabin and go out empty. Some passengers left the plane with bags along the ramps, without following the rules. The evacuation ended without damage to the plane, but with three minor injuries. According to firefighters From the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD), which confirmed that a laptop was the cause of smoke, the problem was born in its battery, without offering more details. Although before they arrived, smoke had already extinguished, firefighters introduced the equipment into a container with water to prevent future problems. What do protocols say. The European Air Security Agency (AESA) Establish clearly What to do as a passenger in an evacuation situation: Listen: Follow each and every one of the instructions on the cabin crew. Leaving luggage: “Trying to take your belongings will not only hinder you, but will also endanger other passengers. Luggage could hinder the exit and cause damage to the evacuation equipment” In the United States, process priorities They are exactly the same: follow the crew instruction and leave belongings behind. The objective is always that any aircraft is safely emptied in 90 seconds. A growing problem. Although since 2016 the lithium -ion batteries are prohibited in the wineries of the airplanes, the number of incidents related to them has shot themselves, either by smoke, fire or extreme warming. The Federal American Aviation Administration (FAA) carries A count And the figures are fully fired: between 2006 and 2016 there were 120 incidents. Between 2017 and May 2025, 377. More than triple cases, and in less years. The majority of incidents occur in commercial airplanes: 385 cases of 119 of transport aircraft. We have analyzed express mentions on fire in the descriptions provided by FAA, and there are 201 cases: 47 from 2006 to 2015, and 144 from 2016 to May 2025. And its solution during the flight. FAA incident records are also useful in another sense: they indicate how the crew mitigates the problems in full flight. The great key are “Thermal containment bags” as is from AvsaxThey are igniphed containers capable of sealing a device and preventing major disasters. In many cases, the crew chose to introduce the problematic device in water before moving to the protective bag. Airlines are taking measures, and for example Southwest Airlines already forces passengers who use Powerbanks to that they have them in sight while carrying. Why the batteries burn. If the question is why they explode, the answer is in a phenomenon, “Thermal leakage“: Overheating due to a heat production process that is self -demand, which ends up causing overpressure explosion. If the anode does not correct the cathode, there is heating, which leads to additional exothermic reactions, which overcome the chemical system and shape oxygen bubbles, CO2 and other gases. With luck, the reaction does not pass from smoke, but it is the precedent of something worse: fire. Why not everyone burn. Because of its characteristics, the batteries They occur following rigorous security plans. But nothing prevents batteries of worse quality or defective, such as Samsung confirmed for the Galaxy Note 7. There is also an additional factor that no longer depends on manufacturers: mechanical blows such as high -height falls, which can deform the battery and make different parts of it touch, which would cause a short circuit and contribute to heating. Images | Erik McLean and Phil Deforges In UNSPLASH, Antonio Sabán with Ia In Xataka | The GPS has become the Achilles heel of modern aviation. And engineering already has its substitute ready

7,000 earthquakes in recent days, 11,000 evacuated and the possibility that the worst is to come

After evacuating more than 11,000 people, half of the island’s population, Greece has had to declare the state of emergency on the island of Santorini. For two weeks, the island has suffered thousands of earthquakes. Only on January 4, there were 1,300 with magnitudes greater than 1. Only yesterday, smoke more than 200 and 28 of magnitude equal to or greater than 4. What is happening exactly in Santorini? A swarm. That is, a succession of thousands of earthquakes in a very concrete space and in a short space of time. As explained the geologist Nahúm Méndezis the direct consequence of the complex geology in the area. It is plaque tectonics, live and live. Nevertheless, As you recognize The volcanologist of the National Geographic Institute, Stavros Meletlidis, what is happening is not normal: “It is the first time that such an activity is recorded.” Are the prelude to something greater? It can be, but it doesn’t have to. In general terms, what we are seeing in Santorini is the accumulated product of the tensions that arise from the collision of the European plaque with the African. In the Santorini area, those pressures accumulate until the rocks “can no longer and break”, releasing large amounts of energy. As we have a good record of the seismic history of the island, we know that it is possible that a great earthquake is being prepared. Not so much of the last one: the Amorgos in 1956 reached 7.7caused more than 50 dead and waves up to 30 meters high. A great earthquake is not the only possibility. In This interferogram created from the Sentinel 1 datayou can see “a slight deformation in the northwest sector of the island after the seismic swarm that is happening on the island.” That, As experts point outit could be indicative of a deformation “due to the rise and location of the magma.” However, that does not mean that we are going to see an eruption. Volcanoes are extremely complex systems and “They can return to a state of ‘quiescence’ without erupting“We have seen it many times. And that is the big problem. When we talk about geology, our prelective capacity is very limited. After the eruption of La Palma, there were many information that indicated that seismic swarms ‘They warned’ for years What was going to happen. Unfortunately, the reality is that this can only be concluded to Toro Last. What can we do? As Méndez sayswe can only prepare for the different options that are forth from the table. One of the most exasperating things in geologies is that we still know too little and it is precisely in ignorance and uncertainty where monsters grow. Image | Tânia Mousinho | INSN In Xataka |

Nearly 31,000 evacuated from Hughes Fire, north of Los Angeles

More than 50,000 people are under evacuation orders or warnings due to the Hughes Fire that was unleashed this Wednesday morning in the mountainous area in the Castaic areanorth of Los Angeles, and which grew dizzyingly to reach 10,176 acres in less than a day. The Hughes Fire erupted amid a red flag warning for intense Santa Ana winds which, combined with the conditions of low humidity and dry vegetation, increased the risk of a fire breaking out. Quickly, Flames from the Hughes Fire devoured trees and vegetation near Castaic Lakea popular recreational area located about 40 miles north of the lands burned by the devastating Eaton Fire and Palisades Fire, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Keep reading: Wind alert extends to Friday in Southern California The intensity of the wind was not as intense as that which drove the two large fires in Los Angeles, allowing firefighting aircraft to drop tens of thousands of gallons of fire retardant and By Wednesday night, 14% containment was reached.. Aircraft attacked the flames of the Hughes fire.Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez | AP “The situation we find ourselves in today It is very different from where we were 16 days ago“said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone on Wednesday night. He National Weather Service extended the red flag warning in Los Angeles and Ventura counties until 10:00 a.m. Friday. Keep reading: The 17 deaths from the Eaton fire occurred in areas where the evacuation alert was delayed Officials are concerned that the wind will cause fires from the Eaton and Palisades fires can exceed control lines and start new fires. More than 31,000 people ordered to evacuate due to the Hughes Firewhile another 23,000 people were under an evacuation warning, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, with no reports of structures affected by the fire. Some sections of the 5 Freeway that were closed due to being in the Hughes Fire area They were reopened this Wednesday night. Keep reading: Should rent be paid for houses destroyed by the Los Angeles fires? A 30 mile stretch It was only open for emergency vehicles.to move equipment and to prevent accidents due to the intense smoke caused by the fire. The purpose of the firefighting teams on the ground and the aircraft was to prevent the fire, driven by the wind, from could proceed across the highway towards Castaic. Marrone mentioned that because the winds were not as strong as two weeks ago, the planes They were able to throw the fire retardant on the south side of the firedirection in which the flames were heading, which were being fought by more than 4,000 firefighters. Keep reading: The fight continues to contain the Palisades Fire In the area, the winds maintained a speed of 42 miles per hour in the afternoon, while at night, in some mountainous areas, they reached 65 miles per houraccording to NWS meteorologist David Roth. Keep reading:· Hispanic accused of starting fire in San Bernardino· Relatives of victims who died in the California fires tell their stories· Alert extended for strong winds in Southern California

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