British Airways fire at Las Vegas

A British Airways Boeing 777-200 bound for London Gatwick, has caught fire before take-off at Las Vegas airport, forcing the evacuation of 172 people on board on emergency slides. !4 passengers were taken to hospital with minor injuries according to airport officials. As the left engine of the plane was engulfed in flames and smoke. The fire was put out later.

British Airways said the aircraft “experienced a technical difficulties as it was preparing to take-off”.

In a distress call the plane’s captain asked for the airport emergency services “Speedbird Mayday May day.Speedbird 2276 requests fire services.”

The pilot told passengers that the accident was result of “catastrophic failure of the engine”. The plane was jetting across the runaway to take-off, when there was a bump and the plane screeched to a halt.   There were 159 passengers and 13 crew members on board.

Airport officials said passengers were taken to the city’s Sunrise hospital, most of them with injuries sustained while sliding down inflatable chutes during evacuation. The incident shut one of the airport’s four runways for several hours. McCann airport in US handled 40 million passengers last year.