Passengers on board a Delta Air Lines flight were forced to evacuate on the runway after the aircraft’s engine caught fire just before take-off in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday afternoon.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that Delta Flight 1213, bound for Atlanta, was preparing for departure at approximately 11:15am local time when flames were detected in the engine during pushback from the gate.
Dramatic footage shared on social media shows the aircraft—an Airbus A330—engulfed in smoke and flames at its rear, while black plumes rose above Orlando International Airport. Inside the terminal, onlookers watched in shock as emergency slides were deployed and passengers scrambled out of the cabin onto the tarmac.
Airport officials said no injuries were immediately reported among the 200 passengers, 10 flight attendants, and two pilots on board.
“The fire was contained and is out,” a spokesperson for Orlando International Airport told CBS News.
Delta confirmed that the cabin crew initiated an emergency evacuation after detecting flames in the tailpipe of one of the aircraft’s two main engines. The airline apologised for the disruption and said alternative travel arrangements were being made.
“We appreciate our customers’ cooperation and apologise for the experience,” Delta said in a statement. “An additional aircraft will be brought in to help customers reach their final destination.”
The incident comes just two months after a separate Delta aircraft flipped and burst into flames following a crash landing in Toronto, injuring more than two dozen people, including a child.
Investigations into the cause of the Orlando engine fire are now under way by the FAA and Delta’s internal safety team.
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