A plane operated by American Airlines caught fire Thursday at the Denver International Airport, prompting passengers to quickly evacuate.
The Boeing 737-800 had been diverted to Denver after leaving Colorado Springs, according to ABC News.
Passengers were seen evacuating the plane on emergency slides and walking on the wings of the aircraft.
Twelve of the passengers were sent to the hospital with minor injuries, according to authorities at the Denver airport, per ABC News.
KAKE in Wichita shared video of dark smoke billowing from visible flames on the plane.
An American Airlines plane caught fire while sitting at a gate at Denver International Airport on Thursday, prompting slides to be deployed so passengers could evacuate quickly. No injuries were reported. #KAKEnews
📷: Joshua Sunberg pic.twitter.com/Q9ZzacrMGw
— KAKE News (@KAKEnews) March 14, 2025
All of the 172 passengers and six crew members were able to leave the vessel.
The Federal Aviation Authority said in a statement that the plane was traveling from Colorado Springs to Dallas when the crew reported issues.
“American Airlines Flight 1006 diverted to and landed safely at Denver International Airport around 5:15 p.m. local time on Thursday, March 13, after the crew reported engine vibrations,” the agency revealed.
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“After landing and while taxiing to the gate an engine caught fire and passengers evacuated the aircraft,” the statement added.
“The FAA will investigate. Please contact the airline for additional information.”
The plane was in the air for an hour and diverted 20 minutes into the flight, per ABC News.
American Airlines said in a statement, “We thank our crew members, DEN team and first responders for their quick and decisive action with the safety of everyone on board and on the ground as the priority.”
The technical issues come as Boeing faces criticism and regulatory scrutiny for a long series of airplane disasters.
Last summer, a Boeing 737 Max operated by Southwest Airlines experienced a “Dutch roll,” in which the plane sways with the tail sliding sideways and the wingtips rocking up and down.
Southwest mechanics unveiled fractures in the metal bracket and ribs that keep a backup power control unit intact.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has vowed to examine airline safety incidents, said last month that the American commercial airline system is still safe, according to CBS News.
“If you get in a plane, if you look at how many people fly, how many flights we have, of course it’s a safe space,” Duffy said.
“I do think as we look at the incidents or the crashes, it gives us an opportunity to say what went wrong? What can we improve upon in the system off these crashes?” he added.
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