By Our Correspondent

National News – A Frontier Airlines plane heading to Los Angeles struck a pedestrian while attempting to take off from Denver International Airport in the United States late Friday night, forcing the flight crew to abort takeoff and trigger an emergency evacuation.

The incident happened around 11:19 p.m. local time when the Airbus A321, carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members, reportedly collided with a person walking across the runway.

Authorities said a brief engine fire broke out shortly after impact but was quickly extinguished by firefighters.

According to airport officials and emergency communications, the pilot alerted air traffic controllers moments after the collision, saying the aircraft had “hit somebody” on the runway.

Emergency responders immediately rushed to the scene while passengers were safely evacuated using emergency slides and transported back to the terminal by bus.

At least one passenger reportedly sustained a minor injury during the evacuation process.

Frontier Airlines confirmed the aircraft was operating Flight 4345 from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport when the accident occurred.

The airline expressed sadness over the tragic event and said it was cooperating fully with airport authorities and federal investigators to determine how a pedestrian gained access to the active runway area.

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the Denver airport runway collision, while runway 17L remains temporarily closed.

Officials have not yet released the identity or condition of the pedestrian involved.

The shocking airport accident has raised serious concerns about runway security, aviation safety procedures, and access control measures at one of America’s busiest airports.

The incident quickly drew international attention as aviation experts called for a detailed review of airport surveillance systems and emergency response protocols to prevent future runway intrusions and aircraft accidents.