Panicked passengers evacuated after fire engulfs plane in smoke

A plane full of passengers in Brazil were forced to evacuate after a fire broke out leaving the aircraft engulfed in smoke.

Footage shows panicked people pushing their way to the exit of the plane, operated by LATAM Airlines, while a fire burns close to the plane.

The blaze started on the belt being used to transport luggage into the hold, the airline said.

Some screams can be heard in the video as frightened passengers spot the smoke and fire through the windows.

Some 180 poeple were evacuated via an escape slide and boarding bridge.

The fire service are later seen on camera removing the affected conveyer belt from the scene.

The incident at São Paulo Airport happened onboard a flight LA3418 on Thursday evening, as it was due to leave for Porto Alegre, also in Brazil.

A spokesperson from LATAM, a Brazilian airline, said: ‘There was a small fire in ground equipment belonging to a third-party company responsible for loading cargo for the flight.

‘The smoke generated from the equipment triggered safety protocols.

‘Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft via the boarding bridge and the escape slide, all with the assistance of employees trained for this type of situation.’

It is not clear what caused the fire.

In July, a United Airlines made an emergency landing at Heathrow Airport shortly after takeoff due to smoke filling the plane’s galley (the area next to the cockpit).

The crew declared an emergency on board flight UA949 as it headed to San Francisco and made a U-turn.

The Boeing 777-200ER had climbed 15,000 feet and was above Milton Keynes before turning around.

Police vans and fire engines were scrambled to the runway and met the plane after arrival.

Passengers eventually got off the plane as normal at a gate after landing.

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