Passengers aboard a United Airlines flight from Houston to New York experienced a frightening moment on Sunday morning when the aircraft caught fire as it prepared for takeoff. The incident, which occurred at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), prompted an immediate evacuation, but fortunately resulted in no injuries.
United Airlines Flight 1382, an Airbus A320 bound for New York’s LaGuardia Airport, was taxiing for departure around 8:30 a.m. when flames were seen shooting from one of its wings. Video footage captured by a passenger and obtained by local outlet FOX 26 shows the aircraft's wing spouting flames, as those onboard began to panic
According to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aircraft aborted takeoff due to a “reported engine issue”. Passengers were promptly evacuated onto the runway using emergency slides and stairs before being transported back to the terminal by bus.
Houston firefighters assisted in the evacuation of the 104 passengers and five crew members who were on board the aircraft at the time the incident occurred. However, fire officials confirmed that firefighters did not have to extinguish any flames by the time they arrived at the scene. Additionally, despite the dramatic nature of the incident, no injuries were reported.
While the exact cause of the breakout blaze remains unknown, the FAA has launched an investigation into the incident. United Airlines confirmed that passengers were subsequently rebooked on an alternative flight to New York, which departed at 12:30 p.m. local time.
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