American Airlines passengers stop to grab carry-ons during evacuation, despite orders to 'leave everything'
American Airlines flight from San Francisco to Miami was evacuated due to smoke
Passengers scramble for belongings during plane evacuation due to smoke
Laptop in checked luggage caused smoke, evacuation of plane at SFO, local KTVU Fox 2 reports. Credit: Jan Jankai via Storyful
Video captured during an American Airlines flight evacuation shows passengers attempting to get their belongings rather than exit the plane with haste after a laptop appeared to catch fire while inside a carry-on bag.
Passenger Jan Jankai captured the moments from July 12 at San Francisco International Airport. Flight 2045 was supposed to be heading to Miami, but was promptly evacuated early Friday afternoon using both emergency slides and the jetbridge, according to a statement from the airline to Fox News Digital.
"Everybody off the aircraft, let's go," an American Airlines employee can be heard saying over the intercom for the Airbus A321.
"Just keep going. Just keep going. Just keep going," a woman can be heard saying as passengers in the back of the plane seem to have difficulty exiting.
LAPTOP CATCHES FIRE DURING BOARDING OF AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT IN SAN FRANCISCO
![First responders are present on the tarmac of an evacuated American Airlines flight](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2024/07/931/523/american-airlines-smoke.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
San Francisco Fire was dispatched to the scene of the smoking laptop, extinguishing it on the tarmac. (KTVU / Fox News)
Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
---|---|---|---|---|
AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 10.80 | +0.17 | +1.60% |
A woman appears to point to something in an overhead bin, tying up traffic when "Go, go, go" can be heard in the background.
"Leave everything behind," one flight attendant says.
At least one carry-on bag can be seen sitting on a plane's seat abandoned during the evacuation.
"Come this way, leave everything," another flight attendant echoed.
![Woman points to overhead bin](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2024/07/931/523/american-air-passengers.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Woman appears to point at something in an overhead bin rather than exiting the plane at San Francisco International Airport. (Jan Jankai via Storyful)
"A lot of us were yelling at people. ‘Get out now! Dont’ try to grab your bag. Just get out now. There's no time for that,'" passenger Carlos Leyva told local KTVU FOX 2.
San Francisco Fire Department responded on-scene to extinguish the source of smoke after passengers were safely evacuated back to the terminal.
![An aerial shot of two firemen extinguishing a smoking laptop](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2024/07/931/523/AMERICAN-AIRLINES-laptop.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
San Francisco Fire dispatched to the scene of the smoking laptop, extinguishing it on the tarmac. (KPIX-NNS / Fox News)
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SFFD told Fox News Digital in a statement that three people with "minor injuries" were reported, with one of them being transported to a medical facility.
FOX News' Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.