A Southwest Airlines flight scheduled to depart from El Paso, Texas, for Houston encountered a delay on Wednesday morning when a passenger’s cellphone caught fire during preparations for takeoff, the airline announced. The aircraft returned to the gate at El Paso International Airport at around 7:50 a.m. local time, as confirmed by the Federal Aviation Administration in a statement to CBS News on Thursday. An investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the incident.
While the FAA described the event as a “passenger disturbance” reported by crew members during the taxi for departure, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson disclosed that the fire likely originated from the battery of the passenger’s cellphone, which ignited as the plane was taxiing. The spokesperson stated, “Southwest Airlines Flight 2112 returned to the gate at El Paso International Airport yesterday morning after the battery inside a passenger’s cell phone apparently ignited.”
The flight crew successfully extinguished the fire, and all passengers were able to deplane normally upon returning to the gate. Southwest Airlines is cooperating with both federal and local authorities in their investigation. Passengers were later accommodated on another Southwest flight to Houston, with the airline emphasizing its commitment to safety for all passengers and employees.
It remains uncertain whether additional federal agencies will launch their own inquiries into the incident beyond the FAA’s examination.
