190 people evacuated from Delta flight after tires catch fire, burst while landing
Tires on a Delta Boeing 757 caught fire and burst into flames while landing Wednesday afternoon, resulting in the evacuation of 190 passengers on to an Atlanta airport tarmac, The Federal Aviation Administration reported.
At approximately 6 p.m., while landing at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Delta Flight 1437 experienced a burst in its left main gear tires, according to the FAA.
A photo and video were sent to 11Alive by a passenger on the Delta Boeing 757, showing individuals utilizing the emergency slide of the aircraft for evacuation purposes.
“The Delta team was extremely organized and professional with no panic,” Bruce Campbell, a passenger aboard the plane told 11Alive. “There are probably 100 ground safety personnel here and 20 vehicles, so the response was amazing.”
The following statement was released by Delta Air Lines:
“We appreciate the efforts of our flight crew and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport first responders to manage through the safe landing of flight 1437 at our hub this afternoon. Initial reports indicate that one of the aircraft’s tires blew upon landing and components of the landing gear were hot. Customers evacuated via emergency slides and are being moved to the terminal via bus. We apologize to each for this experience – nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and crew.”
FOX 5 in Atlanta reported one person was injured, but their condition was not immediately released.
The FAA will continue to investigate the incident.
