Fort Lauderdale International Airport Partially Reopen After Plane Fire
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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) -- Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International airport has partially reopened after a plane caught fire before takeoff Thursday afternoon.
According to FLL spokesman Greg Meyer, one of two runways was reopened about 3:15 p.m. after being shutdown for about three hours.
"We're not at 100 percent capacity but we did get the okay to open the south runway so flights will start to arrive and depart," said Meyer.
The plane, a Dynamic Airways Boeing 767, was taxing for takeoff on a flight to Caracas, Venezuela when the left engine caught fire.
Everyone on the plane was evacuated within six minutes but 21 people were taken to the hospital according to Broward Health Medical Center officials, including a child whose age was not released. One person suffered burns that were not life-threatening while the rest suffered less serious injuries such as bumps, bruises and sprains.
There were 110 passengers onboard.
Despite the fact that the airport is partially reopen, more than 200 delays dotted the flight board and 43 flights were cancelled.
Passengers like Damion Troy sat for hours.
"As long as they check the airplanes and make sure everything's ok, I'll sit here all night," said Troy.
Bob Nelson was trying to get to Seattle for a funeral. He and his wife had to book flights on another airline. Nelson and other travelers said that seeing what the passengers on the Dynamic Air flight went through put everything in perspective.
"Don't sweat the small stuff so do the best you can."
Dynamic is a 5-year-old airline that connects Fort Lauderdale, New York, Venezuela and Guyana. It operates seven 767s.
The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a four-person team to Fort Lauderdale to investigate the fire. NTSB spokesman Eric Weis said that representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration, engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, Boeing and Dynamic will also take part in the investigation.