192 people on JetBlue Airways Flight 704 escape major mishap

NEW YORK: All 192 people on board a JetBlue flight headed to New York had a lucky escape when the plane's left engine caught fire while taxiing before takeoff at San Juan airport in Puerto Rico.

JetBlue Airways Flight 704 with 186 passengers and a crew of six was headed to John F Kennedy International Airport in New York City when the incident occured last night.

"A JetBlue Airways flight departing from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was evacuated Saturday evening after one of its engines caught fire," the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement.

"Passengers and crew used emergency slides to evacuate the aircraft," it said.

JetBlue spokesperson Gina Recine told CNN there were no known injuries among the 186 passengers and six crew members on board the Airbus A321 aircraft.

However, a report by WABC TV said three passengers suffered minor injuries during the emergency evacuation.

According to Recine, the plane was taxing on the runway for takeoff when problems developed.

"Flight 704 SJU-JFK had a rejected take-off at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport. We are currently investigating the cause. Customers and Crew were evacuated via slide. We are working to re-accommodate customers at this time," JetBlue said in a statement.

Recine could not elaborate on the nature of the mechanical issue, CNN reported.

"I was in the window seat in the first row and heard an enormous boom," said first-row passenger Raymond Talavera, "I looked back and I was able to see the engine basically exploded - smoke everywhere."

Talavera says that the passengers that were on board the flight were relocated to the terminal after exiting the plane.

The FAA said it is investigating to determine the cause of the fire.