Fumes cause hospitalization of airline passengers in Las Vegas
Three people were taken to a Las Vegas hospital after reports of “a smell resembling oil” on a Spirit Airlines plane Wednesday morning, according to an airline spokesman.
The first requests for medical assistance from Spirit Flight 170, bound for Minneapolis from McCarran International Airport, came in shortly before 9 a.m.
Fifteen people total — passengers and crew members — asked for medical assistance, three of whom “elected” to be taken to a hospital “as a precaution,” according to airline spokesman Derek Dombrowski.
At least one of those hospitalized had been released as of about 2 p.m., he said.
The plane was taxiing for departure Wednesday morning when people on board noticed the fumes, at which point the plane returned to the terminal and guests and crew members exited the aircraft, Dombrowski said.
The plane has been taken out of service for inspection by the airline’s maintenance team.
“Safety is our top priority,” Dombrowski said, adding that passengers on Wednesday’s flight were accommodated on other flights and were provided meal vouchers, full refunds and future travel vouchers.
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.
