Delta Flight Passengers Evacuate Onto Tarmac After Cabin Fills With Smoke

Passengers onboard a Delta Air Lines plane were evacuated on to the tarmac at Denver International Airport on Tuesday night, after the cabin filled with smoke.

The incident occurred around 8 p.m. local time (EDT), when Delta flight 1854, carrying 146 passengers, from Detroit, Michigan, landed in Denver, Colorado. Although the flight landed safely at the airport, it never made it to the gate as passengers and flight crew noticed smoke coming out of the vents inside the plane as it started taxiing, CNN reported.

Cause of the smoke remains unknown as no fire was observed.

The passengers were evacuated on the tarmac, via slides and over-wing exits and the airport bused the passengers back to the concourse, airport spokeswoman Emily Williams said.

Some of the passengers sustained minor injuries during the evacuation and one person was transported to the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, according to Denver Health. The Denver Fire Department was called to the scene to aid in the evacuation.

"The oxygen masks never came down and people began to freak out," D.J. Semenza, one of the passengers onboard the aircraft, told CNN. "The crew tried to keep calm and eventually called for an evacuation."

Another passenger, Jim McManus tweeted calling it a “flight from hell.” However, he did praise the flight attendants, who followed protocol and stayed calm throughout the ordeal. They also properly instructed the passengers to put their heads down and waited till everyone else was evacuated before evacuating themselves, McManus added.

“We were grateful that is [sic] wasn’t while we were in the air,” McManus said, adding that the smoke coming from the vents was not that thick and passengers did not panic much.

“We were kind of sitting there complaining among ourselves...one guy pointed out that it didn’t happen while we were in the air….so once again, it couldn’t have gone any better,” he said.

Rachel Naftel, another passenger who also experienced the scary event, tweeted: “Scariest thing. After landing fumes through the vents and fire. Feeling faint and sick. Baby was last one out!!! Emergency evacuation. Scariest thing ever. Delta.”

“The safety of Delta’s customers and crew is our top priority, and we apologize for the concern this situation has caused,” airline spokesman Michael Thomas told the Denver Post in an email.

Delta Airlines provided a statement to ABC affiliate Denver7 about the incident:

“After arrival in Denver and during taxi to the gate, Delta flight 1854 from Detroit to Denver stopped on a taxiway where customers deplaned via slides and over-wing exits due to an observance of smoke in the cabin. Airport response vehicles met the aircraft out of an abundance of caution and customers were transported to the terminal via buses.”

The Denver International Airport wrote in a statement on Twitter: “Earlier tonight, Delta flight 1854 from Detroit landed safely at DEN. As it was taxiing, smoke was reported in the cabin so the aircraft was safely evacuated. There were no flames. Only minor injuries reported. Airport operations are normal."