admin A Delta Air Lines aircraft caught fire on Monday prior to take-off at a central Florida airport, prompting an emergency evacuation after an engine ignited, according to airport authorities.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident at Orlando International Airport, Delta confirmed in a statement.
The engine fire occurred on Delta Air Lines Flight 1213 as the plane was pushing back from the gate at approximately 11:15 a.m., ahead of its scheduled departure from Orlando to Atlanta. Passengers were swiftly evacuated using emergency slides, while the airport’s fire and rescue teams responded promptly upon spotting flames in the tailpipe of one of the engines.
“Delta flight crews followed protocols to evacuate the passenger cabin after flames were observed in the tailpipe of one of the aircraft’s two engines,” the airline said in a statement.
The Airbus A330 involved in the incident was carrying 282 passengers, along with 10 flight attendants and two pilots.
The exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined, though Delta stated that its maintenance teams would carry out a thorough inspection of the aircraft to establish the origin of the fire. In the meantime, passengers were escorted back to the terminal, and the airline is arranging for another aircraft to continue the journey.
“We appreciate our customers’ cooperation and apologise for the disruption,” Delta said in a statement to CBS. “Safety remains our top priority, and our teams are working to ensure all passengers reach their final destinations as quickly as possible.”
Footage taken by passengers on board the flight showed one of the plane’s wings ablaze, while other images shared on social media revealed passengers disembarking via the inflatable slides.
This engine fire is the latest in a series of alarming incidents involving Delta aircraft this year. In February, a Delta Air Lines flight crash-landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport, overturning and catching fire.
Aboard Delta’s Endeavor Flight 4819, which had departed from Minneapolis, were 76 passengers and four crew members. Despite the plane skidding across the tarmac and erupting in flames, all occupants survived. Twenty-one individuals, including a child, were taken to hospital. Among the passengers, 22 were Canadian nationals, while the remainder represented various other countries.
Videos shared online captured passengers evacuating independently onto the snow-covered runway.
In response to that earlier incident, Delta has offered compensation of US$30,000 to each passenger aboard the flight. Should all passengers accept, the airline’s total payout would amount to approximately US$2.3 million. Delta clarified that the payment is unconditional and does not waive any legal rights.
Magazine 
