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A United Airlines flight from Houston to New York had to be evacuated Sunday morning after the plane caught on fire on the runway while it was preparing to take off. The incident spread panic among the passengers who started screaming after spotting flames around the wings. United Airlines Flight 1382, an Airbus A320, aborted its takeoff from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, Texas, due to a “reported engine issue” just after 8:30 a.m., the FAA said in a statement.
A video obtained by FOX 26 Houston shows flames visible on the plane’s wing. In the footage, a flight attendant can be heard instructing passengers to remain seated, while one traveller exclaims, “No, it’s on fire!”
Passengers were immediately taken out of the plane and were carried to the terminal by a bus, the FAA statement added.
The flight with 104 passengers and five crew members has been rescheduled to take off at 12.30 pm local time.
Passengers evacuated using stairs and the emergency slide, according to the Houston Fire Department. A video from the scene shows a group of fliers standing on the tarmac.
Authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported. The Houston Fire Department stated they did not have to extinguish a fire related to the incident.
A replacement aircraft is set to depart for New York at 12:30 pm, the Houston Airport confirmed.
The FAA is investigating the cause of the incident.
The incident took place as two major aviation mishaps shook the country. 67 people died as a military helicopter and an American Airlines plane collided in Washington DC. Seven people died and 19 were injured when a medical transport plane crashed near a busy mall in Philadelphia on Friday.
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