LATAM Flight Evacuated at São Paulo Airport After Equipment Fire

Passengers aboard a LATAM Airlines flight were safely evacuated from their aircraft at São Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport on Thursday evening after a fire broke out in ground equipment, filling the cabin with smoke.

The incident occurred around 10 p.m. local time on December 4, as flight LA3418, an Airbus A320 bound for Porto Alegre, was preparing for departure with 169 people on board. The fire started in a baggage conveyor attached to the plane, operated by a third-party cargo loading company, according to airline officials. Flames and thick smoke quickly spread, prompting crew members to initiate emergency procedures. Video footage captured the aircraft shrouded in dark clouds of smoke, with visible flames near the undercarriage, while passengers inside queued to exit amid visible distress.

Crew members directed the evacuation using the boarding bridge and inflatable emergency slides, ensuring all passengers left the plane without incident. Firefighters arrived promptly to extinguish the blaze and remove the damaged conveyor from the tarmac. No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew, and the situation was brought under control within minutes.