A wood fire needs oxygen. A lithium battery fire creates its own oxygen. This means that standard fire extinguishers (Halon, CO2, water) are largely useless against a thermal runaway in a cargo hold. You cannot put the fire out. You can only try to contain the heat until the fuel burns out.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) sets the legal technical instructions. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) publishes the annual Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) , which is the operational standard for airlines.
Comprehensive Guide to Dangerous Goods Regulations ⚠️ What Are Dangerous Goods? dangerous goods regulation
DG regulations are the only communication system between the shipper and the rescuer. When you skip the label, you aren't just breaking the law. You are silencing the warning cry.
Lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries represent the fastest-growing compliance challenge in global logistics due to their tendency to suffer from if damaged, short-circuited, or poorly manufactured. Regulated tightly under Class 9 regulations. A wood fire needs oxygen
Larger, weather-resistant hazard signs affixed to the exterior of freight containers, trucks, and railcars.
When a truck overturns on the highway, the first person to approach that wreck is a 22-year-old firefighter or a state trooper. If your hazmat placard is missing, or if your shipping papers are in the cab instead of the door pouch, that first responder has no idea if they are walking toward a leak of or a crate of Cheese Puffs . You cannot put the fire out
The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) develops the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (Model Regulations) . These form the baseline for all global legislation.