Three passengers aboard an American Airways flight at San Francisco Worldwide Airport had been injured Friday afternoon after they had been pressured to flee the plane on the runway after the cabin stuffed with smoke, officers mentioned.
The supply of the bedlam-inducing fumes was a laptop computer in a passenger’s bag, in keeping with American Airways.
Whereas passengers had been boarding American Airways Flight 2045 to Miami, the passenger’s bag started to emit smoke, American Airways mentioned in an announcement.
San Francisco Hearth Division Capt. Jonathan Baxter mentioned, “The plane was evacuated and SFFD responded to extinguish the smoke supply.”
Passengers had been transported again to the terminal.
Baxter mentioned three minor accidents had been reported from the evacuation and that one among them required medical transport.
San Francisco Worldwide Airport initially mentioned the incident unfolded whereas the aircraft was taxiing to the terminal however later clarified the plane was stopped on the boarding gate.
Passenger Mati Cesario reported on X that the difficulty arose simply earlier than takeoff round 12:30 p.m. and that passengers had been pressured to flee on inflatable emergency ramps.
“It was determined till somebody opened the center door and we had been in a position to escape as we had been all blocked within the hallway. Some individuals [were] barely injured,” Cesario mentioned of their publish.
In an announcement, American Airways mentioned the smoke originated from a passenger’s bag.
“The bag was shortly eliminated by our crew members and all clients exited the plane,” the assertion mentioned. “We thank our crew members for his or her professionalism and apologize to our clients for the inconvenience.”
Passenger Chris Vogt wrote in a social media publish that somebody’s bag within the cabin caught on hearth.
“There was a light-weight stampede, individuals had been screaming ‘Hearth within the again!’ and dashing in the direction of the doorways,” Vogt wrote. “We’re nonetheless ready to return on the aircraft and get our stuff, and the attendant says they don’t know what occurs subsequent however we’ll doubtless be rebooked.”
Pictures from information station KABC-TV confirmed firefighters inserting what seemed to be a laptop computer into a bathtub of water on the tarmac outdoors the plane.
The Federal Aviation Administration mentioned it’s going to examine the incident.
The dramatic scene unfolded at 12:15 p.m. aboard an Airbus A321 that was set to take off from San Francisco shortly after 2 p.m. and arrive at Miami Worldwide Airport by 10:43 p.m. (Japanese). After the hearth, passengers had been informed that they’d depart a number of hours later and arrive in Miami simply earlier than 2 a.m. (Japanese).
