A person was trapped underneath one of the vehicles struck by the Boeing 767-300 cargo plane operating for Amazon Air that went off 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 managed a fuel leak, according to an official update from the MDFR published on the social network X.
The department reported that it received around 1:55 p.m. reports about a dangerous situation involving a cargo plane that had crashed into several vehicles near the airport.
The aircraft was flight 7598 of 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 overshot 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 at the scene, they found the aircraft engulfed in flames and faced a complex fire affecting the engine area.
Rescue amid vehicles and flames
In the midst of the emergency, firefighters discovered that a person had become trapped under one of the vehicles involved in the accident.
Specialized rescue personnel worked to free her while airport firefighting units used foam to combat the flames.
The MDFR statement did not specify the health status of that individual nor whether they were among the injured who were later taken to hospitals.
The magnitude of the accident prompted a large-scale response: more than 60 units and approximately 200 personnel from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue participated in the operation.
The units specialized in hazardous materials also worked to control an active fuel leak coming from the aircraft.
In total, the firefighters confirmed the transfer of five people to hospitals. Authorities later reported that the accident resulted in five fatalities.
Emergency forced the airport to close
The accident initially caused the closure of the runways and taxiways at Miami International Airport while emergency operations were underway.
Hours later, two of the four runways were reopened, although authorities advised passengers to check with their airlines regarding potential delays and cancellations.
Once the main fire was under control, some units from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue remained on site to assist 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 accident to determine what caused the Boeing 767-300 to overshoot the runway.
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