A United Airlines flight did not go according to plan. Shortly before take-off, the plane caught fire forcing the passengers to evacuate the plane onto the tarmac.
According to People, the incident happened at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on February 2. United Airlines Flight 1382 was meant to head to New York City. But just as it was preparing to take off, it suffered engine issues. The Federal Aviation Administration said the crew noticed the mechanical problem on the flight and halted takeoff while on the runway. The plane had 104 passengers as well as five crew members.
However, it was apparently more dramatic than that. A video, captured by FOX 26, showed a fire break out on the side of the plane. Flight attendants tried to calm panicking passengers. The flight attendant urged them to stay in their seats and not to get up. However, one person said, "No, it's on fire!"
United Airlines Flight Evacuated After Engine Problem
Fortunately, according to United Airlines, both the passengers and crew managed to safely deplane the aircraft without issue. They used both the stairs as well as an emergency slide to disembark.
"There are no reported injuries at this time. We lined up a different aircraft to take customers to their destination at 2:00 p.m. CT," United said.
The Houston Fire Department (HFD) wrote in a post on X that they were aware of the viral video of the plane's engine on fire. However, they also said that they didn't put out any flames.
"HFD did not put out a fire on this incident," the department clarified. It appears that the flames went out on their own. They also wrote, "Yes, we are aware of the video. When our units arrived, there was no fire to put out."
It's a tense time for travelers flying. United Airlines likely wants to put their minds at ease. But a high profile crash just happened last week involving American Airlines. That deadly crash happened in Washington DC. The flight was struck by a helicopter upon landing, killing everyone on both aircrafts in the process.
