Allegiant Air reports that no passengers were injured after a Boeing MD-83 experienced an engine fire at the Orlando Sanford international airport this morning.
Flight 700, with 142 passengers and five crew, was set to depart for Roanoke, Virginia at 7:00 am local time when the right engine caught fire at the gate, according to the FAA.
"Upon start of the engines, smoke appeared in the right engine while still at the gate," says an Allegiant spokeswoman. "Customers deplaned at the gate immediately without incident."
Allegiant brought in a replacement aircraft and the flight departed four hours later.
"Our maintenance team will evaluate what happened with the engine which is likely to take awhile to determine what happened," says the spokeswoman.
The FAA says it has determined that excess fuel in aircraft's engine ignited on startup.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
