British Airways flight catches fire on Las Vegas runway

Firefighters enter a plane that caught fire at McCarren International Airport, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015, in Las Vegas. An engine on the British Airways plane caught fire before takeoff, forcing passengers to escape on emergency slides. AP

LAS VEGAS — An engine on a British Airways jet caught fire while the plane was preparing to take off from Las Vegas, forcing passengers to escape on emergency slides.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor says the plane’s left engine caught fire Tuesday afternoon. A plume of black smoke could be seen billowing into the sky but firefighters quickly doused the aircraft with fire retardant.

McCarran International Airport spokesman Chris Jones says the 159 passengers and 13 crew members on the British Airways flight had gotten off the plane. The airport reported on its official Twitter account that two passengers were taken to a hospital for minor injuries.

The Clark County Fire Department says the fire wasn’t the result of a crash.

The Boeing 777-200 was bound for Gatwick Airport near London.