Video Shows United Airlines Plane Engine on Fire Midair as Debris Drops Near Denver

An engine on a United Airlines plane heading to Honolulu from Denver caught fire mid-fight on Saturday, causing debris to land in Colorado neighborhoods. One passenger has shared a video to social media that shows the engine catching fire from the inside.

Authorities say large metal sections of the Boeing 777 plane fell onto a neighborhood near Denver shortly after take off. Flight 328 turned back and landed safely in the city with no reported injuries or deaths after suffering failure to the right engine, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. There were 231 passengers and 10 additional crew members on board the aircraft.

"Flight 328 @united engine caught fire. My parents are on this flight. Everyone's okay though!" one social media user tweeted, alongside a dramatic video showing the engine on fire.

"United flight 328 experienced an engine failure and safely returned to Denver," United Airlines spokesperson David Gonzalez said in a statement on Saturday evening. "We are in contact with the FAA, NTSB and local law enforcement. The NTSB is investigating and has directed that any persons with debris from this event contact their local law enforcement agency. All passengers and crew have deplaned and been transported back to the terminal in DEN. We are now working to get our customers on a new flight to Honolulu in the next few hours."

The Broomfield Police Department said that debris dropped on several neighborhoods in the area around 1:08 p.m. local time and confirmed that there were no related injuries. The department also shared photos on the ground, which appeared to show debris scattered on a field.

Authorities have urged people to refrain from touching or moving the debris as the National Transportation Safety Board intends to investigate the scene and incident.

In an audio recording, reviewed by Reuters, one pilot could be heard calling mayday to air traffic control. "Mayday, aircraft just experienced engine failure, need to turn immediately," the pilot reportedly said.

Newsweek reached out to the Broomfield Police Department for further information.

A separate flight, United Airlines 1932, experienced a mechanical issue during a flight earlier on Saturday, causing the plane to make an emergency landing at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans, according to local news. The plane landed safety just after 10 a.m. local time after departing Cancun, Mexico at around 8:45 a.m.