A Frontier Airlines aircraft hit a pedestrian on the runway at Denver Airport on Friday night, resulting in an engine fire and requiring passengers to evacuate via emergency slides.
The captain of Frontier Flight 4345, which was en route to Los Angeles International Airport, communicated at around 11:19 p.m. that there had been a “collision with a pedestrian during takeoff,” according to aviation officials.
Audio from air traffic control indicated the seriousness of the situation, with crew members alerting the tower about the emergency.
“Tower, Frontier 4345, parked on the runway. Oh, we just hit someone… engine fire,” the pilot was heard reporting over the radio.
When queried about the number of passengers, the pilot informed, “There are 231 people on board. … There were individuals walking on the runway.”
After some time, conditions worsened, prompting the pilot to announce the need for evacuation, stating, “The aircraft is filled with smoke.” Evacuation to the runway then commenced.
Firefighters arrived swiftly and managed to extinguish the flames.
The pedestrian, whose identity remains unknown, was reportedly partially pulled into one of the Airbus A321neo’s engines, causing the brief engine fire.
According to reports, one passenger sustained minor injuries, and all individuals on board were “being screened as a standard procedure following evacuation.”
Denver Airport confirmed that there were 231 individuals on the flight. Passengers were evacuated using emergency slides and then transported by bus to the terminal.
Frontier Airlines released a statement, indicating that Flight 4345 had been taking off when it collided with a pedestrian. The pilot halted takeoff after detecting smoke inside the cabin, and passengers were evacuated as a precaution. The airline is currently investigating the incident alongside airport and safety authorities and expressed their sadness regarding the event.
Airport security will inspect the perimeter fence to check for potential gaps that could allow unauthorized access to the runway.
Denver police are also involved in the investigation. No details about the individual struck by the aircraft have been disclosed yet.
