United Airlines flight aborted after engine catches fire at Chicago airport (Akhabar Factory)

• NEW DELHI: At Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Monday afternoon, a United Airlines flight was forced to abandon takeoff when one of its engines caught fire, causing huge plumes of smoke to shoot from one of the wings. The event took place on United Flight 2091, an Airbus 320 that was meant to travel to Seattle.

• The engine caught fire while the plane was being readied for takeoff on the taxiway.Due to this unexpected issue, the flight crew and airport emergency personnel acted quickly. At the time, there were five staff members and 148 passengers on board. The incident’s specifics were confirmed by statements from United Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

• The passengers were safely evacuated as the aircraft was pulled back to a gate. Thick smoke could be seen pouring from one of the wings in video that passenger Ivan Paloalto captured during the flight. Paloalto said that as the jet was about to take off, he heard an explosion. “I sensed the force hitting my window. He told Storyful, “As I looked, smoke was coming out and the engine was on fire.”
• The FAA temporarily stopped accepting passengers at O’Hare, one of the busiest airports in the country, due to the incident, especially over Memorial Day weekend. After a while, regular activities resumed, reducing the likelihood of more disruptions. An official at the airport characterised the event as a “emergency situation” that was handled “safely.”

Watch video

• United Airlines reaffirmed that no casualties had been reported and complimented emergency personnel for their prompt action in “immediately addressing” the engine problem. The airline reported that passengers disembarked “normally.” In a statement, United stated, “We are working to make alternative travel arrangements for customers.”
• There has been a general trend of travel problems throughout the Memorial Day weekend, which includes this instance. Along with the engine fire at O’Hare, travelers at JFK International Airport had to endure a brief ground stop on Monday while authorities kept an eye on strong thunderstorms that were passing through the region. All of these problems highlighted the difficulties that travelers have during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.

• The emergency response at O’Hare serves as a reminder of the strict safety procedures put in place to deal with situations like these and guarantee that passenger safety always comes first. Although the event clearly alarmed the people on board, a much more dangerous scenario was avoided thanks to the quick thinking of the flight crew and emergency personnel.