Oh gracious! Passenger evacuation panic as Chicago plane catches fire at take-off

US - Twenty-one people have been injured after a plane caught fire while attempting to take off from Chicago.

The crew of the American Airlines Boeing 767 bound for Miami aborted take off from O'Hare airport following "an engine-related mechanical issue", according to airline spokesperson Leslie Scott. 

Passenger Hector Gustavo Cardenas was on the flight and filmed passengers scrambling to leave the aircraft via the emergency exits.

Television reports showed a large plume of black smoke spreading across the airport.

American Airlines said in a statement: "Twenty passengers and one flight attendant reported non-critical injuries. Several were transported to Chicago-area hospitals to be evaluated. 

"Members of American's specially trained employee volunteer CARE Team have been mobilised and dispatched to those hospitals, and Chicago O'Hare International Airport to provide assistance for our customers, crew members and their families."

The statement added: "We are operating a special flight tonight to take our customers to Miami."

Timothy Sampey of Chicago's Fire Department said the mishap could have been much worse.

The plane was fully loaded with 43,000lbs (19,504kg) of jet fuel, which was leaking when fire crews reached the jet, he told a news conference.

"So they had a heavy volume of fire on both the engine and the entire wing," he said. "This could have been absolutely devastating if it happened later."

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