Twelve passengers were taken to hospitals with minor injuries after American Airlines plane caught fire while taxiing to gate at Denver International Airport. Passangers were forced to escape from emergency slides as smoke surrounded the Boeing 737-800.
Flight 1006, bound from Colorado Springs to Dallas/Fort Worth, was rerouted to Denver after the pilots reported engine vibrations, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported. The plane landed safely at 5:15 p.m., but as it taxied to the gate as 1 of its engines was ignited and forced an emergency evacuation.
Disturbing pictures posted online showed passengers balancing on the aircraft’s wing, engulfed by flames. Firefighters arrived in force to fight the fire, which was put out by the evening, an airport representative confirmed. 
All 172 people on board and six crew members were safely led to the terminal. “We appreciate our crew, DEN team and first responders speedy action putting everyone’s safety first,” American Airlines said in a statement.
After the incident, the FAA started an investigation. As the origin of the engine fire is still elusive, authorities highlighted prompt evacuation resulted in fewer injured.
This incident has raised further fears about aviation security, following an number of recent airline crises. Even in such cases, experts claim air travel is one of the safest forms of travel around the world.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the fire with ensuring future passenger safety still the top concern.
