Possible fire on plane diverted to Newark Airport; Flights have resumed

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Saturday, March 9, 2019
Possible fire on plane diverted to Newark Airport, FAA says
Possible fire on plane diverted to Newark Airport, FAA says

NEWARK, New Jersey -- A possible fire on a plane reportedly diverted to Newark Liberty International Airport has caused the airport to shut down all runways Saturday morning, officials said.

The FAA tells Eyewitness News that an Air Transat Flight 942, a Boeing 737, reported a possible fire in the cargo hold and diverted to Newark around 8:30 a.m.

The aircraft landed and remained on the runway while firefighters responded. Passengers evacuated on the runway via emergency slides, the FAA said.

The flight reportedly departed from Montreal, Canada, and was heading to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Newark Airport tweeted that all runways were closed due to an "airport emergency," but flights have resumed since.