Passengers Panic on Jet; 13 Hurt
Frightened by a flash of flame from a generator, some passengers aboard a Mexicana Airlines Boeing 727 jet panicked and 13 were injured, none seriously, Sunday night as they scrambled onto the plane’s wings and rushed to slide down emergency chutes at Los Angeles International Airport.
The panic resulted when gases ignited after being discharged by the plane’s auxiliary power unit, a large electrical generator, airline spokeswoman Ruth Shari said.
Federal officials inspected the plane, which had arrived from Mexico City with 145 passengers and cleared it for a return flight on Monday.
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