Overnight Fire and Security Scares At NYC Airports

by Rich Thomaselli
Last updated: 10:00 AM ET, Wed May 24, 2017

A United Airlines aircraft engine caught fire on Tuesday night, temporarily closing Newark-Liberty International Airport. It was one of two incidents at New York City-area airports, as a man was able to bypass a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at LaGuardia Airport, entering the terminal through an exit area.At Newark, United Flight 1579 to San Francisco caught fire while taxiing to the runway. The flight was scheduled to depart for SFO at 9:22 p.m.

Fortunately, an air traffic controller saw flames coming from one of the engines. The plane stopped immediately, and emergency safety chutes deployed as all 124 passengers were evacuated right onto the tarmac. Buses retrieved the passengers and brought them back to the terminal.Only five minor injuries occurred during the evacuation. The airport was temporarily closed, causing other flights to be delayed, but was re-opened before midnight."During taxiing of United flight 1579 from Newark to San Francisco, the tower notified the crew of what appeared to be flames from one of the engines," United said in a statement. "The crew immediately deployed the slides and evacuated the aircraft. … We are working to get our customers to San Francisco as soon as possible."[READMORE]READ MORE: <a href="http://www.travelpulse.com/news/airlines/how-can-airport-security-be-improved.html" target="_self">How Can Airport Security Be Improved?</a> [/READMORE]At LaGuardia, Concourse C in Terminal B was closed for approximately 45 minutes as police searched for a man seen on surveillance video walking right past security. Passengers needed to be re-screened at TSA security checkpoints.The man was never found although video showed him leaving a secure area of the airport not long after he entered.