Twelve people were hospitalized after an "American Airlines" plane caught fire after landing at Denver International Airport, Colorado. The incident required the use of rescue slides to quickly evacuate passengers, reports the Associated Press, BTA reports.
All people transported to the hospital have minor injuries, according to a publication in the "Ex" at Denver International Airport.
The plane, which was operating Flight 1006 between "Colorado Springs" Airport and "Dallas-Fort Worth" International Airport in Texas, diverted to Denver and landed safely at about 5:15 p.m. (01:15 Bulgarian time) after the crew reported engine vibrations, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement.
While taxiing to the exit, one of the aircraft's engines caught fire, the FAA added. Photos and videos published by media outlets showed passengers standing on the wing of the plane as smoke enveloped the aircraft. The FAA said passengers used escape slides to leave the plane.
"American Airlines" confirmed the incident, noting that the problem was related to the engine after the plane taxied to the exit. There is currently no exact time when the fire broke out.
There were 172 passengers and six crew members on board the plane, who were taken to the terminal, the airline said. "We thank our crew members, the Denver International Airport team and the first responders for their quick and decisive actions, which prioritized the safety of everyone on board and on the ground," the airline said. Firefighters extinguished the fire by the end of the day, an airport spokesman told local media.
The FAA said it would launch an investigation into the incident.
In recent months, a number of aviation crashes and incidents have occurred in the United States, raising concerns about the safety of air travel, even though flying remains one of the safest modes of transportation. Recent incidents include a plane that crashed and overturned while landing in Toronto, and a Japan Airlines plane that clipped a parked Delta plane while taxiing at Seattle-Tacoma Airport, the AP noted.