New York-bound plane catches fire on runway in Houston, passengers evacuated
A United Airlines flight from Houston to New York was evacuated on Sunday after its engine caught fire shortly before takeoff.
Flight 1382 was about to depart George Bush Intercontinental Airport for LaGuardia Airport just after 8.30 am when the crew “received an indication about one engine and halted the takeoff while still on the runway,” the airline said in a statement.
The Federal Aviation Authority said takeoff was “safely aborted” due to a “reported engine issue”, adding “passengers deplaned on the runway and were bused to the terminal”.
All 104 passengers safely exited the plane to the runway using slides and stairs and were bused to a terminal and there were no reported injuries, the New York Times reported, citing officials.
A video of the incident circulating on social media showed smoke and flames coming out of one of the engines of the plane, an Airbus A319, headed for LaGuardia Airport in New York.
The passengers were rescheduled for another flight on Sunday afternoon, United Airlines said.
Days ago, an American Airlines plane collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport, just outside Washington. The crash sent both aircraft into the Potomac River. US authorities confirmed that all 67 people are feared to be dead.
On Friday night, another plane crashed near a mall in Philadelphia killing seven people and injuring 19 others.
