British Airways flight 2276 catches fire

British Airways flight 2276, en-route from Las Vegas to London Gatwick, was set on fire at McCarran International Airport early this week. The aircraft carrying 160 passengers and 13 crew members, burst into flames shortly before take-off on Tuesday afternoon local time, leading to the immediate evacuation of all those onboard.

The federal aviation authority later confirmed that the left engine of the Boeing 777 had caught fire due to a technical default. The pilot in charge showed a quick reaction, calling in Mayday within seconds after the fire had broken out. Firefighters arrived at the scene and were able to extinguish the fire and evacuate all passengers and cabin crew.

Luckily there were no fatalities. According to the airline, a group of 14 people, who suffered minor injuries when leaving the aircraft, have already been released from hospital. All passengers were accommodated in hotels overnight and received alternative flights.

Written by: Flight-Delayed