Doing something as simple as keeping a spare battery in its original retail packaging or a plastic zip lock bag will prevent unintentional short circuiting and fires said krista edwards deputy administrator of the phmsa in a statement. The international rule will become u. The outer plastic coating can melt easily and fuse neighboring batteries together to increase the intensity of the fire according to a june report published by the office of aviation research. Toshiba in june reported that a sony lithium battery was responsible for a notebook computer bursting into flames. Law on tuesday. Airline passengers will no longer be allowed to pack loose lithium batteries in checked luggage the u.