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169 Evacuated From LATAM A320 at São Paulo After Ground Equipment Fire

Officials opened an inquiry into the outsourced baggage‑loader blaze that forced the evacuation.

Overview

  • A fire erupted in third‑party ground‑handling equipment beside an Airbus A320 during boarding at Guarulhos for LATAM flight LA3418 to Porto Alegre.
  • Smoke triggered safety protocols and crews evacuated 169 people via the jet bridge and emergency slides, with no injuries reported.
  • Airport firefighters contained the blaze within minutes and GRU paused refueling operations for about 10 minutes as a precaution.
  • LATAM rebooked customers, with 159 reaching Porto Alegre overnight and the remaining 10 to be accommodated on later services or by ground transport.
  • The airline and the airport concessionaire said they will investigate the cause and responsibilities, and LATAM provided assistance including food vouchers to passengers.