On Saturday, chaos unfolded at Denver International Airport when American Airlines Flight 3023, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 bound for Miami, suffered a landing gear-related fire during takeoff preparations on runway 34L at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time. The incident involved 173 passengers and 6 crew members, all of whom were evacuated using emergency slides. 

Dramatic social media footage showed smoke and flames emanating from the aircraft's rear as passengers fled. One person sustained minor injuries and was hospitalized, while four others were evaluated on-site. The Denver Fire Department quickly controlled the situation, and the airport administration confirmed the incident was resolved efficiently.

 Preliminary reports indicate a tire issue may have triggered the fire, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to note a "possible landing gear incident. " The aircraft, scheduled to depart from Gate C34 at 1:12 p.m., was removed from service for a comprehensive inspection. Passengers were transported to the terminal by bus and rebooked on a later flight to Miami. A 17-year-old passenger from Minturn, Colorado, en route to Santiago, Chile, for a ski trip, described the ordeal as "traumatizing," recounting violent shaking and the plane veering left before the brakes were forcefully applied. 

The incident underscores ongoing concerns about aviation safety, particularly with the Boeing 737 MAX series, though no definitive cause has been confirmed. The swift response by the crew and emergency services prevented a more severe outcome, but the event left passengers shaken. The FAA and American Airlines are expected to conduct thorough investigations to determine the precise cause and prevent future occurrences, while affected passengers were accommodated to continue their journeys.