LAS VEGAS, Sept. 9 (UPI) — The number of people injured when a British Airways aircraft caught fire Tuesday in Las Vegas has increased to 14, most related to the evacuation process, emergency officials said.
The flames shot from an engine as the Boeing 777-200 taxied into position for takeoff in what the pilot described as a “catastrophic failure” of the left engine. Passengers said they felt the plane jolt and heard a bang. Within seconds flight attendants deployed the emergency chutes, rushing passengers off the plane as thick, black smoke filled the cabin. Some said the heat was so intense it melted windows on the aircraft, which was headed for London Gatwick.
There were 159 passengers and 13 crew members on board. Some 14 passengers were taken to a local hospital, many to be treated for injuries sustained in the evacuation. The injuries were not considered serious. The runway was closed until about midnight local time, but the other three remained in service.
Britain’s The Guardian reporter Jacob Steinberg was among the passengers evacuated. He said there was a lot of panic on the flight. After everyone was evacuated, the pilot spoke to passengers in the airport building and was met by applause. The pilot told passengers the fire was the result of a “catastrophic failure of the engine.”
Boeing said it will work with the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the cause of the fire.
