A person was trapped beneath one of the vehicles involved in the accident of the Boeing 767-300 freighter that was operating for Amazon Air which overran a runway at Miami International Airport this Sunday, revealed the Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue Department (MDFR).
Specialized rescue teams had to work to free the victim while other firefighters battled the flames of the aircraft and controlled a fuel leak, according to an official update from the MDFR published on the X social network.
The department reported that it received reports around 1:55 p.m. about a dangerous situation involving a cargo aircraft that had collided with several vehicles near the airport.
The aircraft was flight 7598 from 21 Air, a Boeing 767-300 freighter operating for Amazon Air, which had arrived in Miami from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
After landing, the plane went off the runway and ended up at the northwest end of the airport, where it collided with multiple vehicles and caught fire.
When the first emergency teams arrived on the scene, they found abundant flames and smoke coming from the aircraft and faced a complex fire affecting the engine area.
Rescue among vehicles and flames
In the midst of the emergency, firefighters discovered that a person had become trapped underneath one of the vehicles involved in the accident.
Specialized rescue personnel worked to free her, while the airport fire extinguishing units used foam to combat the flames.
The MDFR statement did not specify the health status of that person or whether they were among the injured later taken to hospitals.
The magnitude of the accident prompted a large-scale deployment: more than 60 units and approximately 200 personnel from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue were involved in the response.
The specialized units for hazardous materials also worked to control an active fuel leak from the aircraft.
The MDFR confirmed the transfer of five people to hospitals. Subsequently, authorities confirmed five deaths as a result of the accident.
Emergency forced the airport to close
The accident initially led to the closure of the runways and taxiways at Miami International Airport while emergency operations took place.
Hours later, two of the four runways were reopened, although authorities advised passengers to check with their airlines regarding possible delays and cancellations.
Once the main fire was under control, some of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units remained on site to support other agencies and continue monitoring the fuel leak.
The department stated that there was no threat to the safety of the Miami-Dade community, although it urged the public to stay away from the area while operations continued.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that it will investigate the incident to determine what caused the Boeing 767-300 to overshoot the runway.
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