United Airlines Flight Aborts Takeoff at O'Hare Airport After Engine Catches Fire

No injuries were reported aboard the plane.

A United Airlines flight aborted takeoff at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Monday after one of its engines caught fire, causing smoke to billow from the plane’s wing in a dramatic scene captured on video.

United Flight 2091 was preparing to depart for Seattle around 2 p.m. when an engine burst into flames on the taxiway. The incident forced the evacuation of 148 passengers and five crew members after the Airbus A320 was towed back to a gate, according to statements from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and United Airlines. Footage from inside the plane showed thick smoke emanating from one wing as the aircraft moved on the tarmac.

Smoke could be seen coming from one of the plane’s wings.

Ivan Paloalto, a passenger who recorded the video, described hearing an explosion just before takeoff. “I felt the impact on my window. As I looked, the engine was on fire and smoke was coming out,” he told Storyful.

The FAA temporarily halted arrivals at O'Hare, one of the busiest travel hubs, until normal operations resumed at 2:45 p.m. Despite the dramatic situation, United reported no injuries and stated that the engine issue was “immediately addressed” by first responders.

Passengers deplaned “normally,” and United is working to arrange alternative travel for those affected.

Travel disruptions were not limited to Chicago; fliers at JFK International Airport also faced temporary ground stops on Monday due to powerful thunderstorms in the area.