3 Injured in United Airlines Flight Evacuation

A fire broke out on a United Airlines flight’s left brake assembly after traveling from London. The incident forced the emergency evacuation of the plane at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on Wednesday afternoon. Officials for the airline said that there was an issue with the landing gear, and firefighters put out the brake fire while the cabin crew evacuated the passengers.

There were around 10 crew members and 180 passengers (not exact figures) on board. The emergency slides were deployed, according to airline spokesman Mike Trevino, and they were escorted to the terminal. Some of the passengers went on to other destinations while others stayed in Chicago for holiday.

However, not everyone just got off without a hitch. Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langfor said that 3 people suffered minor injuries while exiting the plane. He explained that 2 women suffered ankle injuries and a man complained of chest pains. All of them were taken to the hospital, while the other passengers were taken to the terminal by bus.

Describing the incident, passenger Michelle Brickley, said that the crew moved them out of the way and asked them to step back before opening the door, throwing down the seats and instructing them to exit. Another passenger, Eric Correa, said that he was just thinking about getting off the plane. However, he did get the chance to capture the smoke and evacuation with his cell phone.

David Smart, a passenger, praised the Unite Airlines crew for how they handled the situation. He said that he’s never done the steep jump into the chute. It was easier for the younger passengers than the older ones, who found it a little difficult, he continued. However, the situation was really handled well, he added.