An American Airlines plane erupted in flames at Denver International Airport, forcing a rapid evacuation of all 178 people on board. Flight 1006, a Boeing 737-800 en route from Colorado Springs to Dallas Fort Worth, diverted to Denver after the crew reported engine vibrations roughly 20 minutes into the flight. The plane landed safely at 5:15 p.m. local time, but as it taxied to gate C38, one of its engines ignited, triggering an emergency response.

Dramatic footage captured passengers scrambling onto the plane’s wing and sliding down evacuation slides as thick black smoke and orange flames billowed from the right engine. Social media posts showed the chaos unfold, with some passengers climbing down portable stairs brought by emergency crews. The Denver Fire Department quickly extinguished the blaze, ensuring no further escalation.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the incident, noting the engine fire occurred post-landing. American Airlines reported that all 172 passengers and six crew members were safely relocated to the terminal, with only minor injuries reported—12 passengers were evaluated at a hospital. The airline praised the swift actions of its crew, airport staff, and first responders, emphasizing safety as the top priority.

This incident adds to a string of recent aviation scares in the U.S., though experts maintain air travel remains statistically safe. The FAA has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the engine failure, with attention on the 13-year-old aircraft’s CFM56 engines. American Airlines is arranging a replacement flight to get passengers to Dallas.