DEJA VU

Mass Evacuation as Passenger Plane Bursts Into Flames

The cause of the fire, that led to seven people being injured, is still being investigated—with police not ruling out terrorism.

Passengers had to flee a plane after it mysteriously burst into flames on the tarmac at an airport in South Korea, just a month after the country’s worst ever air disaster.

Three people—a woman in her 70s and two in their 50s—were injured in the operation Tuesday evening, as they fled via inflatable slides from the Air Busan plane at Gimhae International Airport, around six miles west of the city of Busan, which is in the south east of the country. Four crew members were also treated for ailments related to smoke inhalation, The Korea Herald reported.

The fire broke out just before take-off in the tail section of the Hong Kong-bound plane at about 22:26 local time (8:26 a.m. Wednesday ET). The 169 passengers and seven crew were ordered to disembark immediately. The incident comes just a month after the country’s worst ever air disaster. Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 crash-landed at Muan International Airport, killing 179 people, on Dec. 30.

The Korea Herald reported that passengers on board Tuesday’s flight said the fire started from an overhead compartment, amid “crackling” sounds.

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“There was a crackling sound coming from the overhead luggage compartment, followed shortly by smoke,” a passenger told Yonhap News Agency. “A flight attendant told us to stay seated and came with a fire extinguisher, but thick smoke had already filled the air by then and sparks were bursting out from the compartment.”

The passenger added: “As more smoke began to fill the cabin, a passenger sitting by the emergency exit opened the emergency gate, while another flight attendant opened the emergency gate on the other side, allowing passengers to evacuate. It was extremely chaotic and frightening.”

Firefighters arrived at the scene in just eight minutes, and were met by a plane engulfed in flames, as detailed in photos circulating on social media sites. Photos from Yonhap show the entire roof of the plane gutted, as the deflated slides hang off the edge.

The cause of the fire on the budget airline’s flight is still being investigated by an emergency response team set up by acting president Choi Sang-mok.

The Korea Times reported that police considered the possibility of terrorist involvement, but have found no evidence to suggest foul play.

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