Many passengers evacuated a flight at Vancouver International Airport after a "small" fire took place on Saturday evening.
Around 11 p.m. on July 12, inbound WestJet flight 1285 from Tampa International Airport to YVR reported a small tailpipe fire in one of its engines after shutdown while it was parked at the gate, according to Julia Kaiser, spokesperson for WestJet Airlines.
Crew members decided to use the slides to evacuate the approximately remaining 50 guests from the plane "out of an abundance of caution," she added.
YVR senior communications specialist Reena Gacad Kirkpatrick said the airport's fire and rescue team was on scene despite the plane's onboard systems having already extinguished the small fire.
"YVR personnel, as well as emergency services, WestJet staff, and our airport partners worked to reunite passengers with their baggage and provide any other needed support," said Gacad Kirkpatrick.
No injuries were reported, and the incident did not impact other flights or YVR operations.
The plane has been removed from service for maintenance.
The Transportation Safety Board sent investigators to YVR to look into the incident, and are "still reviewing the data and assessing the information we have gathered so far," according to Fontaine, media relations coordinator with TSB.
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