A Delta Airlines flight was evacuated on Monday morning after one of its engines caught fire while on the tarmac at Orlando International Airport. The incident occurred shortly after the aircraft left its gate at approximately 11:15 AM ET, as it prepared for a scheduled flight to Atlanta, Georgia.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the fire began in the tailpipe of one of the engines. Most notably, this happened on a two-engine aircraft. In a statement, Delta stated that the flames were seen immediately after takeoff procedures started. In the wake of this horrific event, flight crews did what they’ve been trained to do, taking every precaution necessary to protect all passengers and flight crew on board.
There were 282 passengers, 10 flight attendants and 2 pilots on the aircraft at the time of the incident. Inflatable emergency slides were deployed to allow for the rapid evacuation of all 150 passengers and crew onboard the aircraft. The passengers were then evacuated to the terminal bldg, with no injuries reported.
The FAA promptly snuffed this fire out, curtailing its spread. Their quick actions stopped what could have escalated into a far more serious incident. Delta Airlines issued a statement that a maintenance crew would be performing an extensive inspection of the plane. Their objective is to identify the fire’s original source and cause.
“Delta flight crews followed procedures to evacuate the passenger cabin when flames in the tailpipe of one of the aircraft’s two engines were observed,” – Delta
The airline added that it is still looking into the incident. They’ve provided little transparency about how it will impact future flights or an operational schedule. In response, they didn’t deny wrongdoing but highlighted their focus on passenger safety and following the regulatory chain of command.