A United Airlines flight that was about to take off in Texas had to abruptly interrupt its departure due to a possible fire, which forced the crew to evacuate the aircraft. The incident occurred at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, as flight 1382 was preparing to fly to LaGuardia Airport in New York at 8:35 am.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the United Airlines Airbus A319 experienced problems with one of its engines, which led to the halt of the takeoff. In response, the airline stated that another aircraft had been scheduled to safely transport the passengers to their destination.
The Houston Fire Department mentioned that, despite videos circulating online showing the airplane allegedly on fire, upon arriving at the scene of the incident, they found no fire to extinguish. Nevertheless, as a precaution, the aircraft was evacuated.
This incident occurred in a context of growing concern about aviation safety, amid recent tragedies, such as the January 29 air accident in Washington, DC, which resulted in the tragic loss of all 67 occupants. United Airlines ensured that the evacuation was carried out smoothly, with both the crew and passengers safely leaving the aircraft via stairs and emergency slides, being taken back to the terminal with no injuries reported in the incident.
