London Gatwick airborne British Airways plane catches fire at Las Vegas airport

A British Airways jet has caught fire at Las Vegas airport, sending smoke billowing into the air, after suffering what the pilot described as a “catastrophic failure” of the left engine.

The plane – a Boeing 777 heading from the US city’s McCarran airport to London Gatwick – could be seen with flames around its fuselage.

Fire officials said 14 people were taken to Sunrise hospital to be treated for minor injuries, including cuts and bruises, most a result of sliding down the inflatable chutes to escape.

All 157 passengers and 13 crew – including three pilots – on board were evacuated, and the fire was swiftly put out by around 50 firefighters. An airport spokeswoman told reporters: “All passengers were evacuated quickly and safely and taken by bus to the terminal.

“We cannot express enough gratitude to the emergency response crews, as well as the British Airways crew.”

The National Transportation Safety Board was investigating the incident, she added.

Guardian News. Image: Reuters/Steve Marcus