Peru: Plane collides with fire engine – Two firefighters killed

Aircraft of the line during the take-off phase collided yesterday Friday (18/11) with its truck fire brigade who entered the airport runway Peruas a result of which two firefighters were killed, a wing and part of the fuselage caught fire and passengers had to be evacuated, according to converging official imgs.

Lima Airports Partners (LAP), the company that manages Jorge Chavez Airport, “deeply regrets the loss of life of two members of its aviation fire service in the crash of flight LA2213”which connected Lima with Juliaka, says a statement it released.

The airline LATAM, which operates the domestic flight, emphasized for its part that “no passengers or crew lost their lives”without specifying how many people were on board (it was an Airbus A320, according to specialist air traffic tracking websites).

Peru’s Ministry of Transport confirmed an “accident on the runway of Jorge Chavez Airport”.

LAP added that its teams provided “necessary care to all passengers, who are fine”. “We are conducting an investigation to ascertain the causes of the accident,” he added.

The Lima fire department announced that it was alerted at 15:25 (local time; 22:25 Greek time) and that four ambulances and first aid units responded.

In footage broadcast by the Andean country’s television networks and captured by eyewitnesses and a control tower camera, the aircraft, which had built up speed for takeoff, is seen colliding with a fire truck that entered the runway, blocking its path .

With the undercarriage and one wing damaged, the plane continues its course with the right wing partially dragging on the tarmac, bursting into flames. As soon as it stops, thick black smoke rises from the plane, which is on fire.

Departures and arrivals at the airport have been suspended “until further notice,” the company that manages it said.

It is the second incident involving LATAM aircraft in two months. Last month, its plane with 48 passengers on board was forced to make an emergency landing at Asuncion airport after a storm damaged part of its nose in flight.