Engine fire on an Air Canada Jazz plane forces emergency landing

NANAIMO, B.C. – An engine fire on an Air Canada Jazz passenger jet forced an emergency landing at Nanaimo’s airport today.

Glen Friesen of the Transportation Safety Board says the plane had taken off when passengers noticed the engine fire.

Friesen says the engine was shut down in flight and the plane returned to the airport at about 7:30 this morning.

Thirty-five passengers were evacuated on the tarmac.

Russ Burke, chairman of the Nanaimo Airport Commission, says emergency crews surrounded the plane on the runway and quickly put out the fire.

Burke says all the passengers managed to get off the plane without injury.