Delta passengers evacuate plane after small fire breaks

DELTA AIRLINES BOEING 757-251 N544US (MSN 26491)

A startling video has surfaced, showing the moment a Delta aircraft burst into flames, leading to a full-scale evacuation at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The footage, released to the media, captures a fireball erupting and thick smoke billowing from the front of the Airbus jet, just beneath the cockpit, shortly after its landing on the evening of the 6th of April.

Delta Flight 604, arriving from Cancun International Airport (CUN/MMUN), touched down safely at Seattle airport (SEA/KSEA) around 9:35 p.m. However, the situation deteriorated when the plane was connected to the terminal's electrical supply.

The connection malfunctioned, emitting sparks and igniting a fire beneath the cockpit of the Airbus A321, SEA spokesperson Perry Cooper reported. The pilots detected smoke by both smell and sight and instructed the crew to deploy the emergency slides, Cooper added. A passenger recounted to media that panic ensued among the travelers upon realizing an evacuation was underway.

"People reacted with panic, and there was some shuffling in the aisles to reach the exits," shared Ashwin Menon, a Seattle software engineer returning from a holiday with his spouse. "Nevertheless, the evacuation proceeded quite smoothly overall." Security cameras recorded passengers exiting onto the aircraft's wing before descending the inflatable slides to safety on the tarmac.

"The exit was swift; we just jumped out and slid down, and within minutes, everyone was off," Menon explained. "I was more composed than expected, given my fear of flying." Cooper stated that approximately two-thirds of the 189 passengers evacuated using the slides, while the rest had already disembarked via the passenger loading bridge.

Seattle's fire department arrived on the scene, and although the fire had extinguished itself, they assessed several individuals for potential slide-related injuries. None required hospital treatment, the airport spokesperson confirmed.

The narrative of the evacuated passengers was cut off mid-sentence.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Delta Airlines

Code: DL / DAL

Aircraft: Airbus A321-271

Registration: N504DZ

Serial Number: 10884

Engines: 2 x PW PW1133G

First Flew: 7th July 2022

Age: 1.10 Years