A passenger plane burst into flames just before takeoff in South Korea late Tuesday, with at least seven people injured as all 176 people on board evacuated on emergency slides.
Video obtained by the New York Times shows fire crews dumping water on the charred, smoldering fuselage of the Air Busan craft — some of which appears to be completely burned through — at the Gimhae International Airport on Tuesday night.
The plane was preparing to take off for Hong Kong when rear parts of the plane burst into flames, according to South Korea’s Transport Ministry, which is still investigating the cause.
Officials say 176 people were evacuated when a fire started in the back of the Busan Air plane. YONHAP/AFP via Getty ImagesPeople fled the plane through its inflatable escape slide as smoke billowed from the back of the aircraft, dramatic footage from the runway obtained by The Guardian shows.
A short time later, video shows massive flames ripping throughout the cabin of the Airbus A321.
The plane’s 169 passengers, six crewmembers and one engineer were all removed, with seven people hospitalized with minor injuries, according to local news agency Yonhap.
Video showed crews dousing the plane with water after the flames were under control. YONHAP/AFP via Getty ImagesFour of those injured were crew members who reported chest discomfort from smoke inhalation and three passengers — a woman in her 70s and two in their 50s — complained of back pain.
The fire was completely extinguished by around 11:30 p.m., about one hour after it deployed firefighters and fire trucks at the scene.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials said.
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