CHICAGO _ Seven passengers and a flight attendant suffered minor injuries when an American Airlines flight bound for Miami caught fire on a runway at O'Hare International Airport as it was taking off Friday afternoon, officials said.
The pilot of Flight 383, a Boeing 767, aborted the takeoff as it rolled down runway 28R around 2:35 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The 161 passengers and nine crew members were evacuated down emergency chutes on the left side of the plane while the wing on the right side burned, according to the airline and video on the scene.
"Seven passengers and one flight attendant reported minor injuries and were transported to the hospital to be evaluated," American said in a statement, adding that another flight would be booked for the passengers Friday evening.
The FAA said the problem started with a blown tire, but American said the takeoff was aborted "due to an engine-related mechanical issue."
A controller radioed the plane when it suddenly came to a stop, according to a recording of the radio traffic. "American 383 ... stopping on the runway," the controller said.
"Roger, roger, fire," the pilot radioed.
"You see any smoke or fire?" the controller asked.
"Yea, fire off the right wing."
"OK, send out the trucks."
A few seconds later, the pilot contacts the tower again. "Chicago, American 383, we're evacuating."
"American 383, roger, trucks are on the way."
Video of the scene shows passengers sliding down chutes on the left side of the plane while flames jump and thick black smoke billows from the right wing.
Many of the passengers can be seen running across a median of grass, some lugging their bags. Some passengers gather a distance away and watch as fire trucks circle the plane.
"F ___ crazy, man," one passenger is heard saying. "I'm never f ___ flying again." People around him can be heard laughing.
After the fire was out, the blackened right wing could be seen sagging and touching the tarmac.
One of the passengers, Hector Cardenas, said the plane was about to take off when he heard an explosion. "Within 10 or 15 seconds, we would have been in the air," he said.
"There was a lot of panic, a lot of pushing, there were people injured, but I think we all got out OK," Cardenas told The Huffington Post. "I'm a little shaken up. I guess I'm just in my own little world right now trying to process."
As the plane caught fire, a large rounded piece of metal smashed through the roof of a UPS facility on the airport grounds and bounced off the floor, according to an airport worker.
"It looks like a piece of a turbine disk from a jet engine," the worker said.
Few people were inside the building at the time and no injuries were reported. The facility is filled with workers at night.
Runways 10L-28R, 10C-28C and 15/33 were closed after the incident.
