A routine departure at Denver International Airport, Colorado, USA, turned into a major emergency on Friday night after a Frontier Airlines jet was forced to abort takeoff following a deadly runway collision.
The incident involved Frontier Airlines Flight 4345, which was heading to Los Angeles when it struck a pedestrian while accelerating on the runway around 11:19 p.m. local time on Saturday, Â according to airport officials.
The aircraft, an Airbus A321, immediately experienced complications after the impact, with reports confirming a brief engine fire that was quickly extinguished by emergency responders.
Air traffic control audio captured the pilot alerting authorities in real time, saying the aircraft had hit someone on the runway and that an engine fire had broken out, prompting an emergency stop.
Frontier Airlines said smoke was detected inside the cabin, leading the crew to abort takeoff and carry out an emergency evacuation using slides.
All 224 passengers and seven crew members were safely evacuated and later bused back to the terminal.
Airport authorities said emergency services responded swiftly to the scene. While at least one passenger suffered a minor injury during evacuation, U.S. media reports indicated the pedestrian involved was fatally injured, though officials have not yet formally confirmed details.
The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified and has launched an investigation. Runway 17L remains closed as authorities work to determine how the individual gained access to an active runway.
