A Delta Airlines flight with more than 200 passengers on board caught fire Monday in Florida while on the runway, with the passengers forced to evacuate onto the tarmac at Orlando International Airport after one of the plane’s engines caught fire.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Delta Airlines Flight 1213 was preparing for takeoff from OIA at approximately 11:15 a.m. when the fire broke out in the tailpipe of one of the two engines of the aircraft, an Airbus A330. Following standard safety procedures, the crew initiated the evacuation after the flames were spotted.
Emergency slides were deployed, and all 282 passengers (along with 10 flight attendants and two pilots) exited the aircraft safely. The flight was en route to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta. Delta confirmed there were no immediate reports of injuries, and a replacement aircraft was arranged to complete the journey for affected passengers. An Orlando International Airport spokesperson confirmed the fire was extinguished after emergency crews responded quickly to the scene.
Delta said in a statement Monday: “We are grateful for our customers’ understanding and sincerely apologize for the disruption. We thank our customers for their patience and sincerely apologize for the situation. Safety is our top priority, and our teams are working diligently to ensure passengers reach their destinations as quickly as possible.”
The exact cause of the engine fire is still unknown. Delta stated that its maintenance team would inspect the aircraft, and the FAA has launched an investigation.
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