São Paulo, Brazil: A LATAM Airlines Airbus A320 was evacuated late on Thursday after a fire broke out in ground-handling equipment during pre-departure operations at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), forcing 169 passengers to leave the aircraft as a safety precaution.
According to LATAM, the incident occurred while the aircraft was preparing for a scheduled service to Porto Alegre. The fire did not originate from the aircraft itself but from third-party baggage-loading equipment positioned near the fuselage. Smoke from the blaze prompted the flight crew to activate emergency evacuation procedures.
Passengers exited the aircraft using both the boarding bridge and emergency evacuation slides. Airport fire and rescue teams responded immediately and contained the fire within minutes. Authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported.
LATAM stated that all affected passengers were provided with assistance following the evacuation. Of the 169 onboard, 159 passengers were re-accommodated on flights the following morning, while the remaining travellers were assisted through alternative arrangements, including ground transport.
As a precaution, refuelling operations for other aircraft at the airport were temporarily suspended for about 10 minutes while emergency crews secured the area. Normal airport operations resumed shortly after the situation was declared under control.
The airport operator and LATAM have both confirmed that an investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the fire involving the ground-handling equipment. The airline reiterated that passenger safety remains its highest priority and that it is cooperating fully with authorities.
Guarulhos International Airport is Brazil’s busiest aviation hub, handling hundreds of domestic and international flights daily. While ground-equipment fires are rare, aviation safety experts note that such incidents highlight the importance of strict maintenance and monitoring standards on the ramp.
