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DENVER (AP) — A tragic incident unfolded at Denver International Airport when a Frontier Airlines flight collided with a pedestrian on the runway during takeoff, resulting in an engine fire and the subsequent evacuation of passengers, as reported by airport officials.
The aircraft was bound for Los Angeles International Airport when it “reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday,” according to a post on the airport’s official X account.
An airport spokesperson revealed that the pedestrian, who had breached a perimeter fence, was killed in the incident. The individual, whose identity remains unknown, was struck just two minutes after entering the airport grounds and is not thought to have been an airport employee.
In a recording shared by ATC.com, the pilot can be heard informing the control tower, “We’re stopping on the runway. We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.”
The pilot also communicated with air traffic control, stating there were “231 souls” aboard the plane and that an “individual was walking across the runway.”
The air traffic controller responds that they are “rolling the trucks now” before the pilot tells the tower they “have smoke in the aircraft. We are going to evacuate on the runway.”
Frontier Airlines said in a statement that flight 4345 was the one involved in the collision and that “smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff.” It was not clear whether the smoke was linked to the crash with the pedestrian.
The airline said the plane was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members.
Passengers were evacuated via slides and the emergency crew bused them to the terminal. The airport spokesperson said 12 passengers suffered minor injuries and five were taken to local hospitals.
“We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities,” the airline said.
Denver Airport said the National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and that runway 17L, where the incident took place, will remain closed while an investigation is conducted. It is expected to open later today.
The pedestrian death came a day after a Delta Air Lines employee was killed while on the job at the Orlando International Airport. In a statement, the airline said the employee was killed Thursday night without providing details of the incident or the name of the employee.
“We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time,” the airline said. “We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred.”