BA plane catches fire on Las Vegas runway
The 172 passengers, pilot and crew were all evacuated - using slides - with initial reports stating that 14 were subsequently taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The pilot later told passengers that the accident was the result of a "catastrophic failure of the engine", according to Jacob Steinber from The Guardian , who was on the plane.
US Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said the left engine of the Boeing 777-200 caught fire before take-off.
In a statement, British Airways told ADVANCE that the aircraft, a 777-200, experienced a technical issue as it was preparing for take-off from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.
The statement said 'the safety of our customers and crew is always our priority, and we are looking after those who were on board the BA2276 from Las Vegas to London Gatwick following an incident on Tuesday 8 September, 2015. Our crew evacuated the aircraft safely and the fire was quickly extinguished by the emergency services at the airport'.
BA said '157 customers were on board the flight, along with three pilots and 10 cabin crew. A small number of customers and our crew have been taken to hospital. All customers have been provided with hotel accommodation, and our colleagues are helping them with anything further they require'.
