An American Airlines flight was diverted to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Sunday after an oven fire was reported shortly after takeoff, officials said.
The Houston Airport System said in an emailed statement that airport operations and the Houston Fire Department responded and declared the plane safe after about 30 minutes.
An American Airlines spokesman confirmed in a statement released Sunday that there was a “mechanical issue on board” caused by the furnace in the forward gallery.
The spokesman said the airline's maintenance team inspected the aircraft after landing.
The flight departed from Austin, Texas and flew to Charlotte, NC where it was diverted to Houston. The Boeing 737-800 landed safely and without incident in Houston and taxied to the gate under its own power on Sunday, the American Airlines spokesman added.
“We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and thank our team members for their professionalism. We are currently working to assist affected customers and they are expected to relocate there [Charlotte] later this evening,” the spokesman said at the time.
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