Delta plane engine catches fire at Orlando airport, passengers evacuate on slides

A Delta passenger jet caught fire on the tarmac at Orlando International Airport Monday and passengers had to evacuate via the emergency slides, the Federal Aviation Authority said Monday.

Delta Air Lines Flight 1213, bound for Atlanta, was pushing back from the gate for departure at around 11:15 a.m. local time on Monday when an engine caught fire, the FAA said in a statement. 

There were no initial reports of injuries.

“The fire was contained and is out,” a spokesperson for the Orlando airport said, adding that fire crews are on the scene.

According to Delta, the plane, an Airbus 330, had 282 passengers, 10 flight attendants and two pilots on board. The airline said crews evacuated the cabin when flames were seen in the tailpipe of one of the plane’s two main engines.

Passengers have returned to the terminal building and Delta said it will bring in additional aircraft to help get them on their way.

“We appreciate our customers’ cooperation and apologize for the experience,” the airline said in a statement. “Nothing is more important than safety and Delta teams will work to get our customers to their final destinations as soon as possible.” 

The FAA said it will investigate the incident and Delta said maintenance teams will examine the aircraft.

The engine fire marks the latest aviation scare involving the airline in recent months. In February, 21 people were injured after a Delta plane flipped upside down while landing amid wintry conditions at Toronto Pearson International Airport. All of the injured passengers were later released from the hospital. In January, several people were injured after a Delta flight aborted its takeoff at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, forcing about 200 passengers to evacuate the plane through emergency slides.  

This is a developing story and will be updated.