Aircraft Catches Fire At Brazil’s Airport, 180 Passengers Evacuated Amid Flames, Smoke | Video

In a shocking incident, LATAM Airlines Airbus A320 carrying 180 passengers caught fire while taxiing for takeoff at a Brazilian airport, officials reported. The incident unfolded at Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos

International Airport (GRU) on Friday.

Passengers were startled as smoke suddenly filled the cabin, and flames were seen emerging from beneath the wing through the aircraft windows.

The situation prompted an immediate evacuation, with passengers using stairs and inflatable slides to leave the aircraft safely.

The flight crew quickly ordered passengers to evacuate, deploying inflatable slides as travellers scrambled across the tarmac.

🇧🇷 Airbus A320 with 180 passengers catches fire in Brazil

A LATAM Airlines Airbus A320 was already taxiing for takeoff when the cabin suddenly filled with smoke, and passengers saw flames under the wing through the windows.

People evacuated onto the runway using stairs and… pic.twitter.com/OOPOf6oVEr

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) December 5, 2025

Airport authorities later confirmed that everyone escaped unhurt, though footage showed passengers emerging visibly shaken from the smoke.

Initial reports hinted at a major on-board incident, but LATAM Airlines clarified that the fire stemmed from ground equipment rather than the aircraft itself. A baggage loader, operated by a third-party cargo company, caught fire while handling luggage for flight LA3418, which was scheduled to depart for Porto Alegre, Brazil.

A LATAM spokesperson said, “There was a small fire in ground equipment belonging to a third-party company responsible for loading cargo for the flight. The smoke generated from the equipment triggered safety protocols. Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft via the boarding bridge and the escape slide, all with the assistance of employees trained for this type of situation.”

The fire broke out beneath the wing of the stationary aircraft, and local fire and rescue teams later removed the affected conveyor belt from the site.