An American Airlines flight experienced a blown tire and subsequent fire during takeoff in Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday. The incident, which involved a Boeing 737-800, occurred just before 8 a.m.
Video footage captured the dramatic moments, with voices over the radio saying "Abort" and "We've got a blown tire." An airline spokesman, Alfredo Garduño, confirmed that the incident happened due to a "mechanical issue" with the plane's tires.
Emergency responders quickly arrived on the scene after the tire blew and caught fire, according to Tampa International Airport spokesman Joshua Gillin.
All 174 passengers and six crew members were safely evacuated and transported to the terminal. "We never want to disrupt our customers' travel plans and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused," said Garduño.
Despite the disruption, no other flight operations were affected, and passengers were rebooked on alternative flights to Phoenix.