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‘Get us out’: Passengers evacuated after United Airlines plane catches fire during takeoff
Passengers began pleading to be let off the flight and one of them was heard yelling, “Please, please, get us out of here. It's on fire.”
A United Airlines plane was forced to abort its takeoff as one of its wings caught fire. Passengers and crew members were evacuated after the Airbus A320 bound for New York from Houston faced a “reported engine issue” at around 8:30 am on Sunday, February 2, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said, Fox News reported.
United Airlines flight catches fire during takeoff, passengers evacuated
There were 104 passengers and five crew members on board Flight 1382, which caught fire while taking off from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas. It was due to land at the New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Footage of the incident was captured and shared online by passengers. One of the clips, which was posted on X, shows vivid orange flames erupting from one of the plane's wings.
Passengers began pleading to be let off the flight and one of them was heard yelling, “Please, please, get us out of here. It's on fire.” The flight crew's quick thinking averted a potentially dangerous situation. Everyone on the flight was evacuated and passengers were transported to the terminal via bus, the FAA said.
The airline said that the passengers were deplaned using a “combination of slides and stairs,” per the outlet. The Houston Fire Department, which assisted in the deboarding of passengers, responded to the scene as part of safety protocols. However, they did not put out the fire, as the flames had already died down by the time they arrived.
“HFD’s Airport Rescue Firefighters are assisting at @iah after a departing plane reported an issue on the runway. HFD assisted in deboarding the plane. No injuries have been reported at this time,” the department said in a statement shared via Twitter. Meanwhile, the FAA noted that they are investigating the incident.
