The engines of the American Airlines plane sparked a fire after landing at Denver International Airport Thursday evening, officials said.
American Airlines’ Flight 1006 was converted to Denver on its way from Colorado Springs to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the airline said.
The plane, a Boeing 737-800, landed safely around 5:15pm local time after crews reported engine vibrations, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
As the plane was taxiing to the gate, the engine started a fire and people on board used slides to evacuate, the FAA said.
American Airlines called it an “engine-related issue.” They said there were 172 passengers and six crew members on board.
The Denver Fire Department said 12 people were taken to hospitals where they had minor injuries.
Social media videos show the smoke-filled gate plane as passengers appear to be evacuated to the wings. Another angle shows the crew members on the ground trying to hose the aircraft.
“We would like to thank our crew, our Den team and our first responders for their prompt and decisive action, with safety on board and on the ground as a priority,” American Airlines said.
The FAA will investigate.
Brian Gallion and Alex Law contributed.
