According to local media, the airliner reported that there were 172 passengers and six crew members on board.
All passengers were successfully evacuated from the aircraft; however, 12 individuals were transported to hospitals with minor injuries, as stated by Denver International Airport in a social media update on platform X.
Dramatic footage circulated on social media depicted thick smoke enveloping the jet on the tarmac near the terminals, with passengers seen standing on a wing as emergency responders arrived.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that the Boeing 737-800, which was en route from Colorado to Dallas-Fort Worth, diverted to Denver International Airport after the crew reported experiencing “engine vibrations.”
The FAA further explained in a statement that “after landing and while taxiing to the gate an engine caught fire and passengers evacuated the aircraft using the slides,”
This incident raises safety concerns, particularly following a series of events and the efforts by the administration of former President Donald Trump to reduce funding for US aviation agencies.
The FAA has announced that it will conduct an investigation into this recent occurrence.
