Passengers escape burning Boeing.
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Chaos broke out at Denver International Airport (DEN) on Thursday when an American Airlines flight, a Boeing 737-800, caught fire on when making an emergency landing.
The plane, which was carrying 172 passengers and six crew members, was en route from Colorado Springs to Dallas-Fort Worth when the crew reported vibrations coming from the engines. This prompted an immediate diversion to Denver around 5.15pm MST. What began purely as a safety measure turned into a terrifying landing and approach to the terminal building as the right engine burst into flames on taxiing, forcing a rapid evacuation before the plane reached the gate.
Witnesses described the scene as panic stricken. Passenger Gabrielle Hibbitts told local media, ‘We could smell burning plastic as we landed, then everyone started screaming about a fire.’ Video footage circulating online shows flames licking the engine and thick smoke billowing as dozens of passengers scrambled onto the wing while others slid down emergency chutes. Ground crews rushed ladders to help passengers down, while firefighters extinguished the blaze within minutes.
FAA investigating why passengers had to escape
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the safe landing but say the fire erupted post-touchdown. Twelve passengers were taken to local hospitals with minor injuries, mostly caused by the rapid evacuation.
American Airlines praised crew members, the airport’s team, and emergency responders for their rapid action to get passengers out, and for finding a replacement aircraft to resume the Dallas journey. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident, focusing on the nature of the engine failure following a recent spate of aviation incidents across the US.
