United Airlines Flight Catches Fire During Takeoff in Houston; No Injuries Reported

Passengers evacuated safely after flames erupted from aircraft wing; incident follows multiple aviation mishaps in the US.

United Airlines Flight Catches Fire on Runway at Houston Airport

Houston, January 3 – A United Airlines flight bound for New York was forced to evacuate after flames burst from one of its wings while taxiing for takeoff at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) on Sunday (local time), as reported by The New York Post.

The Houston Fire Department (HFD) responded quickly, assisting passengers off the aircraft. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

“HFD’s Airport Rescue Firefighters are assisting at @iah after a departing plane reported an issue on the runway. HFD assisted in deboarding the plane. No injuries have been reported at this time,” the department confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

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Passengers in Panic as Flames Erupt from Wing

The 104 passengers and five crew members onboard experienced a terrifying moment when they saw flames shooting from the aircraft’s wing.

📌 A video recorded by a passenger captured the chaos, with panicked screams filling the cabin as passengers rushed to understand the situation.

📌 The exact cause of the fire remains unclear, and United Airlines has yet to issue a detailed statement regarding the incident.

Further investigations are underway.

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Series of Aviation Incidents Across the US

The United Airlines fire adds to a series of recent aviation accidents that have raised concerns about flight safety in the US.

Philadelphia Plane Crash Leaves 7 Dead, 19 Injured

On Friday night, a Learjet 55 crashed near Roosevelt Mall in northeast Philadelphia, killing seven people and injuring 19 others.

📌 All passengers and crew aboard the flight perished, along with one person on the ground.
📌 Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed the casualties at a press conference on Saturday.

The plane, which had departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, went down at approximately 6:30 PM. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.

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American Airlines Plane Collides with US Army Black Hawk Helicopter

Adding to the recent aviation disasters, on Wednesday, an American Airlines plane collided mid-air with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport, just outside Washington, D.C..

📌 Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, with authorities fearing that all 67 people aboard are dead.

📌 Rescue operations are ongoing, and officials are working to determine how the accident occurred.

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Growing Aviation Safety Concerns

These back-to-back aviation incidents have sparked concerns over flight safety and aircraft maintenance procedures.

📌 The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating all three incidents.
📌 Airline safety experts have urged enhanced inspections and improved pilot training to prevent further accidents.

As travel demand increases in 2025, experts stress that stringent safety measures must be enforced to ensure passenger security.