Phobia of the Day: A British Airways Plane Stokes Your Fears By Catching Fire
14 people are injured after a British Airways plane caught fire at Las Vegas McCarran Airport Sept. 9.
The plane was bound for London and the BBC has some details of the early morning scene.
The pilot later told passengers that the accident was the result of a "catastrophic failure of the engine", reports the Guardian's Jacob Steinberg, who was on board the plane.
"We looked out the window and for the first time saw smoke near the wing. We could smell it. It was like burning rubber - bitter and deeply unpleasant - and it was time to panic," Steinberg writes.
These days, of course, you don't have to rely on reporters aboard the stricken plane to get pictures and videos. Leave that to social media.
Eyewitness on the #LasVegas airplane fire. A special two hour #AC360 begins right now on @CNN pic.twitter.com/2iAqKE0jBb
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) September 9, 2015DEVELOPING: Airplane on fire at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas; witness says "passengers got off." pic.twitter.com/FpdDlmRwR2 (h/t @kacienice)
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) September 8, 2015British Air Plane explodes in Vegas. @AirwaysNews @flyLAXairport http://t.co/Rggrh9ThxO. pic.twitter.com/sovAn7K3z5
— no bag left behind™ (@nobagleftbehind) September 9, 2015Fire put out on #BritishAirways Boeing 777 at Las Vegas Airport: Airport officials. http://t.co/LmH00EInU7 pic.twitter.com/Uf4gOH0rjq
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) September 9, 2015
Those 14 injured peole were only taken to the hospital with minor injuries, so things could have been much worse.
It just goes to show you: Never visit Las Vegas.