A plane caught fire on the tarmac of Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Friday afternoon, sending panicked passengers fleeing for the exits and covering their mouths as smoke seeped into the cabin.
At least seven passengers and one flight attendant sustained minor injuries, Reuters reported.
American Airlines Flight 383 blew a tire and pilots stopped short of taking off, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The plane experienced an engine malfunction, American Airlines representatives said. The cause is still under investigation.
There were 161 passengers and nine crew members aboard, the airline said. Passengers were deplaned before being bused from the runway to the main terminal, where authorities met them.
Major delays are expected to continue as O’Hare crews shut down the runway.
Jose Castillo, whose father was on the flight, told The Huffington Post that the plane was going “full throttle” when it caught fire.
He said he saw flames “coming from the engine” after the tire blew.
“[My dad] said there was an explosion, and they stopped the plane as quickly as they could,” Castillo said. “He’s a little shaken up, and all of his belongings are on the plane, but he’s OK.”
Castillo said passengers were directed to the side exits of the airplane to use inflatable slides to escape. His father, also named Jose, shot video (above) of the ensuing blaze and sent it to his son.
“There was a lot of panic, a lot of pushing, there were people injured but I think we all got out OK,” Hector Cardenas, who was also on the flight, told HuffPost. “I’m a little shaken up. I guess I’m just in my own little world right now trying to process.”
Photos and video from the scene shows the plane engulfed in flames.
This article has been updated throughout as more information has become available.