Irish airport flights suspended after runway plane fire

DUBLIN: Flights were suspended at Shannon Airport in western Ireland on Thursday after a fire broke out on the undercarriage of an aircraft on the runway, an airport spokesman said.

The Boeing aircraft is owned by Omni Air International, a US charter carrier that specialises in military and government transport flights.

"Airport emergency services are currently on the scene and earlier extinguished an external fire to the undercarriage," a spokesman for the Shannon Group said in a statement.

"All passengers and crew have disembarked safely and are currently in the terminal building."

Images from the scene on social media showed the plane surrounded by numerous fire engines.

"The Omni Boeing 767-300 aircraft rejected takeoff and was safely evacuated," Omni Air said on Twitter.

"Initial reports indicate no serious injuries to passengers or crew."

Shannon Airport did not immediately respond to an enquiry as to whether the plane was transporting troops when the emergency unfolded.

The hub is controversial in Ireland for facilitating the movement of US troops, providing logistical support to operations abroad.

Airport crews are currently at work to remove the aircraft from the runway, the Shannon Group spokesman said.