Delta flight fire at Orlando: Panic amid evacuation chaos
There was drama for Delta Air Lines passengers when their plane caught fire just before takeoff at Orlando International Airport. A huge tragedy was narrowly avoided, although eyewitnesses reported issues with evacuating passengers.
The Delta Air Lines Airbus A330 was scheduled to fly from Orlando to Atlanta on Monday morning, April 21, at 8:00 AM ET. There were 282 passengers on board, as well as ten crew members and two pilots.
At one point, the aircraft began catching fire. The incident occurred just before takeoff on the runway. Airport authorities activated their crisis response team. After the evacuation, it was revealed that three people sustained minor injuries. They were taken to the hospital, but their injuries are not life-threatening.
Despite the swift response, passengers reported deficiencies during the evacuation process. According to eyewitnesses, only one of the emergency slides was functional.
All passengers were evacuated through a single entry door, resulting in panic and jostling. Channing Wells, who was traveling with her mother and son, told FOX 35 that it took them a long time to disembark from the plane. She noted that some passengers feared for their lives, and there were reports of crew members also panicking.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the case. Experts speaking to FOX 35 say that passengers can consider themselves very lucky. The tense situation could have ended tragically.
Experts emphasize that the number of functional inflatable slides should correspond to the number of passengers on board. As for the cause of the fire, it has been identified that the aircraft's engine was the source. It remains unclear how long passengers remained on board after the problem was identified.
