Camera battery explosion causes chaos at Orlando International Airport

What I don't understand about this incident and the video I've seen is: where the heck was the bag owner? If it were my bag I'd be doing something about it.

The carry-on was probably overstuffed and the battery had too much pressure or it's contacts were shorted. I too am curious about the battery.. brand, OEM or 3rd party. I thought all luggages in the cargo hold were on a special container to contain bomb explosions. Or what the airlines can do is vacuum pack the containers and minimize the oxygen content so a fire can be contained... no air no fire.

The main problem which led to panic and confusion was not the battery. There was “IS” written on the lens.

Sometimes I just have the impression that certain events are way too convenient to support a certain regulation. It is the first time I hear about a camera battery burning up.

I know that just because I didn't read/hear about such stuff doesn't mean it didn't happen, but over the years you would have heard more about it, because such things can wreck your cameras badly, too (if the battery is within the camera), and consequently would have created something visible in the wake of such an event. But nothing ...

I didn't know Samsung still made cameras. Or maybe it was an old one. ;-)

This article misses the most important information: what was the camera's brand? Was it Canon or Nikon? And what model? Was it full frame or APS-C? If it was the latter, is it right for us to assume the energy released by the explosion was multiplied by 1,5? So many questions went unanswered.

Wonder if it was a third-party branded battery?

Well, disclosing camera make and battery would really cause the makers a BIG marketing problem!!! Howcome nobody took note on this??? Such as the problem with Samsung Note...I wonder....

Memo to ALL male readers:
NEVER, under ANY circumstance, carry a camera battery in the front pockets of your pants.

The safety of LiOn batteries varies, according to research. E.g., some have vents and internal support structures (within the cylindrical base cell) such that they don’t literally explode with this thermal run-away reaction which is the root cause.

However, this isn’t a matter of make, oem etc. I had my original Mac battery swell, for instance. Therefore, I wished an industry test became standard and be part of a batteries published properties. It can be tested, after all (in a 250 degrees C chamber).

so is it safer to have batteries explode and possibly catch fire in the cargo hold where no one will see it until the fire as spread possibly beyond control OR have it explode in cabin inside bag and deal with it immediately.

OR unless an actual terror situation then it might be the distraction to allow a passenger take over of the terrorist or not.

but seriously how harmful are the possible fumes from a LiOn battery as we know the typical bad will burn toxic fumes and would it spread unsafely in cabin, how about if in the cargo area ?

Reading the comments posted here I propose to dpreview to do an article on how the batteries explode. They could pick up various models of batteries from the best-selling cameras, original batteries and pirates, and subject them to tortures such as falls, overheating, short circuits because they are unprotected alongside metallic objects, etc. You could try to blow up a discharged battery ... if it did not explode it would be a hint of how to fly with them safely, that is, by unloading them first. It would be an article of general interest.

And the sad end is that the camera owner cannot claim damages compensation from the battery maker, since prisoners at Guantanamo are not allowed any mail.

Camera site reports camera battery explosion... Yet fails to specify camera brand/model.

Quantum Scientist; millions of batteries go in and out of airports. Any suspicious incident at an airport is likely to be publicly reported. Statistically 1 in several million batteries will go faulty. You're more likely to win the Eurolottery than see a camera battery malfunction at an airport.

Interesting how the camera battery always waits until it gets to an airport to explode.

Good reason for camera makers to offer the option of AA lithium battery packs (like the Pentax Kx, Kr, K30, K50 did)... AA batteries do not seem to have this issue.
Ricoh / Pentax engineers are you listening for the K70 mkII ??

It's kind of scary what will happen when all these nice high powered Lithium batteries age.

It's a power source made from reactive chemicals and compounds, assembled by a piece of machinery, shipped multiple times (and subjected to drops, heat, cold, etc.), and finally put into everyday use and recharged by someone who probably isn't a chemist or engineer. What could possibly go wrong?

What's more amazing is how isolated these incidents are for all the lithium primary and lithium-ion batteries that are floating around out there.

I wonder what factors surrounded the exploding Li-Ion battery. Cheap 3rd party battery? Battery dropped a few times too many and already showed signs of damage (e.g., swelling)?

Great, here comes the ban on cameras altogether. Now what?

Most people have never heard a gun fire apparently.

Why is it only L-ions in computers and cameras? I haven't heard any reports of Teslas bursting into flames and there are well over 18,000 cells in one of their battery packs. Not to mention they are basically the same type cells used in computers or cameras.

Scott

A report on the battery's brand and type would be really helpful.

The lengths some photographers go to to get their images to 'pop'

One wouldn't believe what is happening nowadays. What kind of battery explodes in the bag just like that? Must have been some 3rd party cheap one. :(

Just wondering -- how are laptop batteries different? (or electric toothbrush or shavers)? If they are not different, then what do you do with e.g. Macs and their non-removable batteries? Or phones for that matter? Or is it the use of cheap knock-off batteries for cameras that's the issue?? Is it battery tech? Should any regulation, instead of banning cameras, be about batteries?? A popping battery and smoldering fire would not be welcome on board a plane in the air, but what's the solution that isn't a camera ban?

What camera though? no mention of which manufacturer :)

the overreaction and panic and 24 flights being cancelled and "chaos "

we behave as frightened rabbits now .... and the authorities cultivate this alarmist mindset to enhance the position of government in peoples lives ....while a exploding battery is a serious matter.... once the source of the sound was identified and delt with in a safe manner ,the defcon one scramble should have been immediately called off and the effects of the mishap mitigated

.... instead it was a crap fest wasting 1000s of hours of travelers lives .....which is exactly what the PTB want" an incident, an event. and news storyto make the sheeple quake in their boots .... a reminder of the war on terror.....the war on drugs.... on refugees..on immigrants .. on our minds .. on common sense ... on society itself .

ok im done

This battery should only have been rated for one shot then.

People, according to other news sites, the battery was in a carry-on bag, not the cargo hold and not in a checked bag destined for the cargo hold, just to be clear.

If they ban batteries people will start making AA or CR123 battery grips for cameras just so they can travel. Then they'll have to pick up batteries wherever they travel to.