Airport officials reported that a Delta Air Lines aircraft caught fire Monday morning, just before it was scheduled to take off from a central Florida terminal. This forced the evacuation of all passengers.
Delta stated in a press release that there were no injuries reported during the fire aboard the plane at Orlando International Airport.
Recent aviation disasters in the U.S. have stoked fear about flying, even though it remains a safe mode of travel. A plane that crashed in Toronto, flipped, and then landed again. Another plane from Japan Airlines clipped a parked Delta aircraft at Seattle’s airport while taxiing. Last month, an American Airlines flight caught fire in Denver.
Airport officials posted on social media that an engine fire occurred late Monday morning aboard Delta Air Lines Flight 1203, while the plane was parked at the ramp, just before the scheduled departure from Orlando to Atlanta.
The airport’s statement stated that the passengers were evacuated, and the airport’s rescue and firefighting teams responded.
Delta reports that the Airbus A330 had 282 passengers, 10 flight attendants, and two pilots.
Delta’s statement said that when the flames were seen in the tailpipes of one of two aircraft engines, the flight crews evacuated the cabin.
Delta says maintenance teams will examine the aircraft to try and determine the cause of the fire.
