United Airlines plane catches fire on runway after landing at Denver

A planeload of passengers and crew had to be evacuated

Fifty-nine passengers and four crew safely evacuated from a United Express flight when fire broke out at the rear of the plane shortly after it touched down at Denver airport.

The rear-engined aircraft, a CRJ-700 operated by SkyWest, had just arrived from Aspen after a half-hour flight.

It is thought flight UA5869 landed normally, with no indication of a problem until the plane was on the ground.

One of the passengers, Raiyan Syed from Boston, tweeted dramatic footage from the incident with the comment: “Quick and immediate response. first responders on runway. Huge thanks to pilot and crew for helping get passengers off safe.”

Rabia Chaudry, a mother travelling with a baby, tweeted: “Thanks @united crew for being professional & courteous in today's emergency. Otw home now w baby's new wings. Lifetime upgrade welcome too.”

She later added: “Also other passengers were lovely, asking after the baby and helping. People are good.”

Someone tweeting as “Hillary's Blood Clot” recalled the event in April when a passenger was dragged off another United Express flight, from Chicago to Louisville, saying: “They better drag the passengers off, and quick.”

The aircraft type, built by Bombardier in Canada, is one of the most popular in North America, and has an excellent safety record. The plane involved is seven years old. Before the Aspen-Denver flight, it had flown from Jackson, Wyoming to Los Angeles, and from there to Aspen.

The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified.

The Independent has approached SkyWest for comment.