Twelve people have been taken to hospital after an American Airlines plane landed at Denver International Airport caught fire, prompting emergency slides to be deployed.
All of the people transported to hospital had minor injuries, according to a post on the social platform X by Denver International Airport.
Flight 1006, which was headed from the Colorado Springs Airport to Dallas Fort Worth, diverted to Denver and landed safely around 5.15pm (11.15pm GMT) on Thursday after the crew reported engine vibrations, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
While taxiing to the gate, an engine on the Boeing 737-800 caught fire, the FAA added.
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Photos and videos posted by news outlets showed passengers standing on a plane’s wing as smoke surrounded the aircraft. The FAA said passengers exited using the slides.
American said the flight experienced an engine-related issue after taxiing to the gate. There was no immediate clarification on exactly when the plane caught fire.
The 172 passengers and six crew members were taken to the terminal, airline officials said.
“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 said.
Firefighters put out the blaze by the evening, an airport spokesperson told media outlets.
The FAA said it will investigate.