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- A Spirit Airlines plane caught fire at Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey.
- The airline told Insider that a large bird entered one of the engines, prompting an evacuation.
- Officials said that two people suffered minor injuries, Fox29 Philadelphia reported.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
A Spirit Airlines plane caught fire after a bird flew into one of its engines shortly before takeoff.
The Saturday incident occurred at Atlantic City International Airport as flight 3044 prepared to fly to Fort Lauderdale.
In a statement to Insider, an airline spokesperson said the plane stopped before leaving the ground after a "large bird entered one of the plane's engines."
The plane was brought to a halt and safely evacuated a total of 102 passengers and seven crew members, Fox29 Philadelphia reported. Two people suffered minor injuries, according to officials.
"The captain braked safely and brought the plane to a stop, received an indication of damage to the engine, and ordered an evacuation in accordance with our standard procedures," the company said.
"Our guests will receive full refunds, a future travel voucher and the option of travelling to Fort Lauderdale on another plane tonight," it added.
In a tweet, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said: "We're closely monitoring an aircraft incident that happened tonight at @ACYAirport."
The airport remained closed hours after the fire as officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board investigated the incident.
It is not the first time a plane has caught fire this year. In February, a United Airlines plane was filmed soaring through the sky with one engine on fire, although it went on to land safely at a Denver airport, Insider's Michelle Mark reported.
In that incident, the Boeing 777-200 plane dropped debris throughout several Colorado neighbourhoods, including one huge piece of metal that narrowly missed someone's home.
