SAN FRANCISCO- Chaos erupted at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on Friday afternoon (July 12, 2024) when an American Airlines (AA) flight bound for Miami (MIA) had to be evacuated due to smoke filling the cabin, reportedly caused by a passenger’s laptop.
The incident occurred around noon as American Airlines Flight AA2045 was preparing to depart.
American Airlines Flight Filled with Smoke
Passengers and crew members were forced to evacuate the Airbus A321 aircraft using emergency slides after smoke was detected in the cabin.
“It was desperate until someone opened the middle door and we were able to escape,” one passenger recounted on social media. “Some people were slightly injured.”
Another passenger described a “light stampede” as people rushed towards the exits, with cries of “Fire in the back!” adding to the panic.
American Airlines confirmed that the source of the smoke was traced to a laptop in a passenger’s bag. Crew members swiftly removed the device from the aircraft.
“We thank our crew members for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience,” the airline said in a statement.
Minor Injuries to Passengers
San Francisco Fire Department responded to the scene. Doug Yakel, a spokesperson for SFO, initially reported three minor injuries from the evacuation, with none requiring medical transport. However, this was later amended to confirm that one passenger did require transportation for treatment, CBS Reported.
The incident has raised concerns among other travelers about the safety of electronic devices on flights. Sharon Streets, an American Airlines passenger waiting for a different flight, expressed relief that the incident occurred on the ground.
The aircraft involved in the incident is Airbus A321-200, registered as N917UY. It is a 9.5-year-old and is powered by IAE V2500 engines.
“It sounds terrifying. I can’t imagine. I’m so glad that they were on the ground when that happened. Had they been in the air, that could’ve been disastrous,” Streets said.
Her colleague, Terry Downey-Friman, added, “I don’t ever think of that. I have a laptop, sure. And you figure it’s safe because you’ve used it forever. But sometimes, they do get hot.”
The event has prompted some passengers to reconsider how they handle their electronic devices during flights. “No one thinks about that. I don’t even put it in sleep mode, I just close it sometimes. [It’s a] new thing we need to pay attention to,” Streets noted.
FAA to Investigate
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced it will investigate the incident. Meanwhile, the disrupted flight was rescheduled for a late-night departure, some 11 hours after the original evacuation.
FAA in its Aviation Accidents and Incidents report stated that:
The crew of American Airlines Flight 2045 reported smoke on board while at the gate at San Francisco International Airport. Passengers exited the Airbus A321 using emergency slides. The incident occurred around 12:15 p.m. local time on Friday, July 12.”
FAA
This event serves as a stark reminder of the potential hazards associated with electronic devices on aircraft and the importance of proper handling and storage during flights.
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