Footage shared online shows smoke and flames pouring from the right engine as passengers quickly exited the plane using inflatable emergency slides.
Delta flight 1213, an Airbus A330, was preparing for takeoff to Atlanta with nearly 300 people onboard, including 282 passengers, 10 flight attendants, and two pilots. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.
In a statement posted on social media, the airport confirmed that emergency crews responded swiftly to the scene. “Passengers were evacuated. Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting team promptly responded,” it stated.
Delta also confirmed the incident, saying the cabin was evacuated as a safety precaution when flames were spotted in one of the engines. A video filmed from inside the terminal shows passengers gathered on the tarmac with emergency vehicles surrounding the aircraft.
“We appreciate our customers’ cooperation and apologize for the experience,” Delta said in a statement. “Nothing is more important than safety, and our teams are working to help affected passengers reach their final destinations as quickly as possible.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident.
A Delta flight just caught on fire at the Orlando Airport 😳 pic.twitter.com/kmksyx5QIu
— Dylan (@dylangwall) April 21, 2025
This is one of several aviation scares in North America this year. On January 29, 67 people lost their lives in a collision between a commercial plane and a military helicopter near Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Airport. Following the crash, investigators recommended tighter restrictions on helicopter flights near the area.
Then on February 17, a Delta plane crash-landed in Toronto. All 80 passengers survived, although the aircraft flipped onto its back after skidding down the runway in flames, prompting a rapid response from emergency crews.
