A Frontier Airlines plane struck and killed a person on the runway at Denver International Airport late Friday night, forcing pilots to abort takeoff and triggering an emergency evacuation.
The incident happened around 11:19 p.m. local time as Frontier Flight 4345, an Airbus A321, was departing Denver for Los Angeles with 224 passengers and seven crew members, Frontier said in a statement.
The person on the runway was at least partially consumed by one of the engines, causing a brief engine fire that firefighters later extinguished. Smoke was also reported inside the cabin, an official told ABC News.
Passengers were evacuated from the plane using emergency slides as a precaution and taken back to the terminal by bus.
The identity of the person who was killed has not been released and it is unclear how they gained access to the active runway. The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified, and Runway 17L remained closed Saturday morning while investigators examined the scene, the airline said.
The Independent has contacted Frontier for comment.
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