Delta plane engine catches fire at Orlando airport, passengers evacuate on slides

A Delta passenger jet caught fire on the tarmac at Orlando International Airport Monday and passengers had to evacuate via the emergency slides, the Federal Aviation Authority said Monday.

Delta Air Lines Flight 1213, bound for Atlanta, was pushing back from the gate for departure at around 11:15 a.m. local time on Monday when an engine caught fire, the FAA said in a statement. 

There were no initial reports of injuries.

“The fire was contained and is out,” a spokesperson for the Orlando airport said, adding that fire crews are on the scene.

According to Delta, the plane, an Airbus 330, had 200 passengers, 10 flight attendants and two pilots on board. The airline said crews evacuated the cabin when flames were seen in the tailpipe of one of the plane’s two main engines.

Passengers have returned to the terminal building and Delta said it will bring in additional aircraft to help get customers to their final destinations today.

“We appreciate our customers’ cooperation and apologize for the experience,” the airline said in a statement. 

The FAA said it will investigate the incident and Delta said maintenance teams will examine the aircraft.

This is a developing story and will be updated.