Three passengers aboard an American Airlines flight at San Francisco International Airport were injured Friday afternoon after they were forced to flee the aircraft on the runway after the cabin filled with smoke, officials said.
The source of the bedlam-inducing fumes was a laptop in a passenger’s bag, according to American Airlines.
“American Airlines Flight 2045 from Miami was taxiing to the gate when the crew reported smoke in the cabin,” San Francisco Fire Department Capt. Jonathan Baxter said. “The aircraft was evacuated and SFFD responded to extinguish the smoke source. Passengers are being transported back to the terminal.”
Baxter said three minor injuries were reported from the evacuation and that one of them required medical transport.
Passenger Mati Cesario reported on X that the issue arose just before takeoff around 12:30 p.m. and that passengers were forced to escape on inflatable emergency ramps.
“It was desperate until someone opened the middle door and we were able to escape as we were all blocked in the hallway. Some people [were] slightly injured,” Cesario said in their post.
In a statement, American Airlines said the smoke originated from a passenger’s bag.
“The bag was quickly removed by our crew members and all customers exited the aircraft,” the statement said. “We thank our crew members for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.”
Passenger Chris Vogt wrote in a social media post that someone’s bag in the cabin caught on fire.
“There was a light stampede, people were screaming ‘Fire in the back!’ and rushing towards the doors,” Vogt wrote. “We’re still waiting to go back on the plane and get our stuff, and the attendant says they don’t know what happens next but we’ll likely be rebooked.”
Photos from news station KABC-TV showed firefighters placing what appeared to be a laptop into a tub of water on the tarmac outside the aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate the incident.
The dramatic scene unfolded at 12:15 p.m. aboard an Airbus A321 that was set to take off from San Francisco shortly after 2 p.m. and arrive at Miami International Airport by 10:43 p.m. Eastern time. After the fire, passengers were told that they would depart several hours later and arrive in Miami just before 2 a.m. Eastern.
