United Airlines plane engine catches fire shortly before takeoff in Chicago
Chicago, Illinois - A United Airlines flight was aborted at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Monday afternoon when one of the plane's engines caught fire during takeoff.
![A United Airlines plane caught fire on Monday at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, and takeoff was immediately called off.](https://media.tag24.de/951x634/h/6/h6z5n86vz59gyepx6jz7rh2weljd1s9k.jpg)
United Flight 2091 was scheduled to depart for Seattle around 2:00 PM when the engine burst into flames on the tarmac, the New York Post reported.
The smoking Airbus 320 was towed back to the gate, the US Federal Aviation Administration and United Airlines said in separate statements.
The 148 passengers and five crew members were then evacuated.
The dramatic moment can be seen in a cell phone video taken by one of the passengers inside the plane.
Ivan Paloalto, who made the recording, claimed he heard an explosion as the plane was about to take off.
"I felt the impact on my window. As I looked, the engine was on fire and smoke was coming out," he said.
Flight operations temporarily interrupted
United Airlines announced that no injuries were reported and that the engine problem was "immediately addressed" by the emergency services. All passengers were able to leave the aircraft "normally."
Following the incident, arrivals at Chicago Airport were temporarily suspended as incoming planes circled the skies.
Carmen Hernandez, who was traveling home from Nashville, said she was concerned because the announcement about the emergency was made while they were in the air without further details, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
"We were scared," she said, adding that the pilot sounded "a little nervous."
Regular operations were resumed at 2:45 PM, the aviation authority announced.
Cover photo: REUTERS