A plane's landing gear caught fire at Denver Airport in the United States before takeoff. There were 179 passengers on board. All have been safely evacuated. The FAA is investigating.
American Airlines Flight: A major accident was averted at Denver Airport. Just before takeoff, smoke and fire started coming out of the landing gear of a passenger plane. There were 179 passengers on board. Everyone was safely evacuated. One person was slightly injured. The FAA has launched an investigation.
Flight Canceled Due to Technical Fault Before Takeoff
A major plane accident was averted at Denver Airport in the United States on Saturday. According to reports, when American Airlines flight AA-3023 was preparing for takeoff, a technical fault was detected in its landing gear. The aircraft was a Boeing 737 MAX 8 model and was scheduled to fly to Miami. Panic erupted when smoke and then fire started coming out from near the wheels shortly before takeoff. A major accident was averted due to the alertness of the pilot and airport authorities, who canceled the flight in time.
The Lives of 179 Passengers Were Saved
There were a total of 179 people on board, including passengers and crew members. As soon as the news of the fire and smoke was received, rescue operations were started immediately. All passengers have been safely evacuated. Denver Airport authorities have stated that one person was slightly injured in the process, but no one was seriously injured. After evacuating the passengers from the plane standing on the runway, they were taken to the terminal by bus.
Suspicion of Negligence in Maintenance
American Airlines said in a statement that the problem with the plane's landing gear was due to tire-related maintenance. The company clarified that serious consequences were avoided because the problem was identified in time. However, the actual cause of the technical problem has not yet been confirmed. After the incident, the aircraft has been handed over to the maintenance team and a detailed investigation is underway.
Smoke and Panicked Passengers Seen in Video
A video of the incident has been released on social media, showing plumes of black smoke rising from the rear of the aircraft. Many passengers were seen disembarking in panic, and the entire runway was covered in smoke. The video also shows that security agencies and fire brigades quickly reached the spot and brought the situation under control as soon as they received the news of the fire and smoke.
FAA Launches Investigation
Upon receiving news of the incident, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced an investigation. According to the FAA, a fault was reported in the landing gear of the aircraft preparing to take off from Denver Airport at 2:45 pm (local time) on Saturday. The plane was then stopped on the runway and all passengers were safely evacuated.
Fire Brigade Controls Fire in Time
Denver Airport officials said that the fire brigade was alerted as soon as news of smoke coming out of the plane's tires was received. Rescue operations were started quickly after seeing the fire situation. The fire was completely brought under control by 5:10 pm. Airport authorities have stated that it was possible to save the lives of the passengers by following all safety protocols and taking timely decisions.
