All of the people transported to hospitals had minor injuries, according to a post on the social platform X by Denver International Airport
Credit: Joshua Sunberg, Instagram
Twelve people have been taken to hospital after an American Airlines passenger plane diverted to Denver International Airport and subsequently caught fire.
Slides were deployed and the passengers were quickly evacuated, some with minor injuries.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Flight 1006 was headed from Colorado Springs to Dallas Forth Worth on Thursday when crew reported engine vibrations.
The plane was then diverted to Denver and landed safely around 5.15pm MT (11.15pm GMT) .
People at the airport could see passengers evacuating Flight 1006
While taxiing to the gate, an engine on the Boeing 737-800 caught fire, the FAA added.
Photos and videos posted on social media showed passengers standing on a plane’s wing as smoke surrounded the aircraft.
American Airlines said in a statement that the flight experienced an engine-related issue, but there was no immediate clarification on exactly when the plane caught fire.
There was a total of 172 passengers and six crew members onboard at the time.
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“We thank our crew members, DEN team and first responders for their quick and decisive action with the safety of everyone on board and on the ground as the priority,” American Airlines said.
Firefighters put out the blaze by the evening, an airport spokesperson told media outlets.
The FAA has said it will investigate.
The fire comes after a string of aviation disasters in and around the US, including a Delta Airlines plane that crashed and flipped over on landing in Toronto, and a Japan Airlines plane that clipped a parked Delta plane while it was taxiing at the Seattle airport.
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