A Delta Air Lines aircraft caught fire shortly before takeoff at Orlando International Airport (MCO) on Monday morning. The incident occurred on Delta Flight 1213, which was preparing to depart for Atlanta with nearly 300 people onboard—many of them likely headed home from Walt Disney World Resort and other popular Central Florida theme parks.
According to early reports, the engine fire began while the Airbus 330 was pushing back from the gate around 11:15 a.m. local time. Passengers had already boarded and were seated when the blaze broke out. Fortunately, no injuries were reported thanks to a swift emergency response by airport fire crews and Delta personnel, who extinguished the flames and evacuated passengers via inflatable slides.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), user @dylangwall shared dramatic footage from the scene. “A Delta flight just caught on fire at the Orlando Airport 😳,” the post read. The videos show fire and smoke coming from the aircraft and passengers sliding down emergency chutes onto the tarmac.
A Delta flight just caught on fire at the Orlando Airport 😳 pic.twitter.com/kmksyx5QIu
— Dylan (@dylangwall) April 21, 2025
MCO later released the following official statement on X:
Today at approximately 11:06am, Delta Air Lines flight 1213 experienced an engine fire while at the ramp area, prior to departure. Passengers were evacuated. Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting team promptly responded. For inquiries, please contact Delta Air Lines directly.
Today at approximately 11:06am, Delta Air Lines flight 1213 experienced an engine fire while at the ramp area, prior to departure. Passengers were evacuated. Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting team promptly responded. For inquiries, please contact Delta Air Lines directly.
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) April 21, 2025
Delta also addressed the incident, saying it would provide a replacement aircraft to complete the trip to Atlanta.
“We appreciate our customers’ cooperation and apologize for the experience,” the airline said. “Nothing is more important than safety and Delta teams will work to get our customers to their final destinations as soon as possible.”
The harrowing evacuation comes amid growing concerns over air travel safety. In January, a tragic crash at Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport killed 67 people after a military BlackHawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger aircraft. In March, a near-miss between a Southwest Airlines plane and a private jet at Chicago Midway International Airport also made headlines, though no injuries were reported.
This latest incident has only heightened travelers’ anxiety, especially those flying into Orlando, the busiest airport for guests visiting Walt Disney World Resort. With 282 passengers, 10 flight attendants, and two pilots onboard, Monday’s fire could have ended much differently if not for the quick actions of emergency personnel.
Do you feel safe flying to Walt Disney World Resort? Share your thoughts with Disney Fanatic in the comments.
Where was the tragedy? The airplane was the only thing that was damaged.
Your an idiot there was no tragedy no one was hurt and you had to throw Disney in there so next time get your facts straight or don’t write anything