The company says it is unaware of any accidents or injuries as a result of the flaw, but news reports link the defect to several accidents in the U.S, some with fatal results.

VOA: standard.2010.01.28

It listed among the possibilities a manufacturing flaw, a design defect or problems with external systems that charge and discharge the battery.

CNN: Boeing can conduct Dreamliner test flights

After Monday's fire, the big question for Boeing will be whether the issue is a manufacturing defect, which can be fixed relatively cheaply, or a design flaw, which might require expensive redesign and rework on existing planes, said Citi analyst Jason Gursky.

NPR: Boeing Defends Dreamliner, Safety Questions Remain