A Florida-bound plane still at the gate of New York's LaGuardia Airport was evacuated after its crew reported heavy smoke emanating from the aircraft.
But a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police spokesman says firefighters didn't find any smoke when they responded to the Spirit Airlines plane Saturday morning.
There were no reported injuries.
Airline spokesman Stephen Schuler says there were reports of sparks in the power unit that provides electricity to the Airbus 321 when it's grounded.
He says the unit automatically turned itself off after detecting an issue.
Agency spokeswoman Cheryl Albiez says 228 passengers and seven crew members were then taken off the Fort Lauderdale-bound flight.
We saw smoke & then got emergency evacuated from @SpiritAirlines at LaGuardia. My bags are still on the plane. Damn. pic.twitter.com/cgtBv4Gh6J — Zach Staggers (@ZachStaggers) December 26, 2015
U.S. & World
Just emergency evacuated off @SpiritAirlines flight 197 plane was smoking on second engine start pic.twitter.com/NJciPbARxu — Andrew Kuslansky (@ajkuslansky) December 26, 2015
