A Max Air aircraft landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja on Sunday but suffered tyre bust on arrival which also resulted in fire, but was quickly put out by firemen.
The aircraft landed in Abuja with emergency officials already on the ground to put out the fire before the passengers were disembarked right at the runway.
Unconfirmed reports said the aircraft had arrived from Yola, Adamawa State when the incident occurred.
This is even as the spokesperson of the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Tunji Oketunbi, hinted that their staff have gone to the site of the incident for investigation.
An official of the airline, who confirmed the incident but pleaded anonymity, said the passengers safely disembarked.
He expressed gratitude to God for the safety of all the passengers and crew members.
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He said the airline would officially inform the appropriate authorities to carry out an investigation into the incident.
Also, a former president of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Mike Ogirima, who gave an account of the incident, said the tire burst occurred after takeoff at Yola Airport.
Ogirima said, “We thank God. We are still on the runway, and the pilot has reassured us. He has called for the stairs, and we are now disembarking from the runway to be evacuated to the airport building at the arrival hall.
“We bless God because we witnessed the pullout of the tire right from the airport in Yola, and we went into prayer session. I never announced it as a surgeon so as not to cause any panic, but we bless God.”
The passengers were safely disembarked from the runway, while the runway has been temporarily shut until the evacuation of the aircraft.
The Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service (ARFFS) operating at the airport was swiftly mobilized to put out the fire.
(omayowa@globalfinancialdigest.com; Newsroom: +234 8033 964 138)
