WestJet passengers evacuated plane at YVR due to tailpipe fire

WestJet flight 1285 experienced a tailpipe fire upon landing at YVR on July 12, 2025. Passengers evacuated the flight at Vancouver International Airport following a small fire incident on Saturday evening.

At around 11 p.m. on July 12, the inbound WestJet flight from Tampa International Airport reported a small tailpipe fire in one of its engines after shutdown while parked at the gate. WestJet Airlines spokesperson Julia Kaiser mentioned that crew members chose to use slides to evacuate the remaining 50 guests from the plane as a precautionary measure.

YVR senior communications specialist Reena Gacad Kirkpatrick stated that despite the onboard systems extinguishing the fire, the airport's fire and rescue team was present. Gacad Kirkpatrick added that YVR personnel, emergency services, WestJet staff, and airport partners collaborated to assist passengers with their belongings and any necessary support.

No injuries were documented, and the incident did not disrupt other flights or YVR operations. The aircraft has been taken out of service for maintenance.

The Transportation Safety Board dispatched investigators to YVR to investigate the incident. Fontaine, media relations coordinator with TSB, mentioned that they are still analyzing the data and evaluating the information collected so far.

According to the source: Castanet.