On a WestJet flight arriving from Florida late on Saturday, July 12, there was a “small engine fire.”
A number of people were evacuated via inflatable slides to quickly get them off the aircraft. With no reported injuries, the plane has since been removed for maintenance as an investigation ensues.
A SMALL FIRE
Described as a “small tailpipe fire”, the flame was located in one of the engines after the plane was already in shutdown and parked at the gate.
Julia Kaiser, a WestJet spokesperson, said, “Out of an abundance of caution, crew elected to use the slides to quickly evacuate approximately 50 guests remaining on the aircraft. No injuries have been reported, and the aircraft has been removed from service for maintenance.”
The aircraft was a Boeing 737 MAX 8.
“The aircraft’s onboard systems extinguished the small fire,” said a statement from a YVR spokesperson, although YVR’s fire rescue crews were summoned to address the issue. The incident also did not impact any other flights or operations.
An investigation is now underway to “gather information and assess the occurrence”, said The Transportation Safety Board.
