Delta flight experiences fire on runway in Orlando; passengers evacuated using emergency slides

In Orlando, passengers on Delta Air were evacuated after an Airbus A330 engine caught fire just before takeoff.

The engine of a Delta Air Lines aircraft caught fire shortly before takeoff on Sunday afternoon in Orlando, Florida, forcing passengers to evacuate on the runway.

At around 11:15 a.m. local time, Delta Flight 1213, headed for Atlanta, was getting ready to take off when flames were discovered in the engine during pushback from the gate, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The airplane, an Airbus A330, is seen in dramatic social media footage with smoke and flames engulfing its tail as black plumes rise above Orlando International Airport. Passengers rushed out of the cabin onto the tarmac as emergency slides were launched, and everyone inside the airport watched in disbelief.

Two pilots, ten flight attendants, and 200 passengers were on board, but no injuries were reported right away, according to airport officials.

“The fire was contained and is out,” an Orlando International Airport representative informed CBS News.

After seeing flames in the tailpipe of one of the plane’s two main engines, Delta confirmed that the cabin crew started an emergency evacuation. Alternative travel plans were being arranged, the airline stated, and it apologized for the inconvenience.

In a statement, Delta expressed gratitude for its customers’ cooperation and expressed regret for the experience. “We will bring in an extra aircraft to assist customers in getting to their destination.”

More than two dozen passengers, including a toddler, were hurt when a different Delta plane flipped and caught fire after crashing into Toronto two months prior.

These days, the FAA and Delta’s internal safety team are investigating what caused the Orlando engine fire.