Pilots Escape Burning Cargo 737 In Brazil

The two crew members aboard a Total Cargo Boeing 737-400 RS managed to get the burning aircraft on the ground in Sao Paulo, Brazil, early Saturday before rappelling to safety from a window using the emergency escape rope. The drama unfolded on a short flight from Vitoria. The crew declared an emergency on final and controllers said flames were visible after the plane stopped on the runway. The pilots were not hurt. The fire is believed to have started in the cargo.

The plane took off at about 11:34 p.m. on Friday and landed about an hour later. Firefighters met the plane on the runway and fought the stubborn blaze for several hours. The written-off airframe was towed off the runway more than eight hours after the incident.