China Airlines plane catches fire at Japanese airport

August 20, 2007 China Airlines Flight 120, a Boeing 737 800, burst into flames at Naha Airport in Okinawa, Japan shortly after touchdown, with 157 passengers and 8 crew aboard. All passengers and crew have been accounted for; there were no casualties.

The plane was on the ground when the fire broke out and some reports say that all the passengers and crew made it off the plane safely. The pilots were seen jumping from the cockpit seconds before an explosion ripped through the plane.

The plane was flying from Taoyuan, the county of Taiwan, and its final destination was Naha, the capital of Okinawa.

Initial reports from ground personnel suggest that a fuel leak in the right engine could have started a series of explosions. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire by using foam.