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Retired New York firefighter helps put out fire on Spirit flight bound for Orlando

By Gene Saladna, WFTV.com and ActionNewsJax.com News Staff

Smoke inside airplane

By Gene Saladna, WFTV.com and ActionNewsJax.com News Staff

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Passengers on a flight from Dallas to Orlando on Wednesday got a mid-air scare after a fire broke out.

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As the aircraft was closing in on its destination, those on board noticed smoke coming from an overhead compartment in the plane’s cabin.

Passenger Rocco Chierichella, a retired New York City firefighter, jumped into action to put out the fire.

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Another passenger, Darryl Smith, recounted how flight attendants also rushed to the back of the plane as it filled with white smoke.

Meantime, the pilots made a decision to divert the flight to Jacksonville International Airport for an emergency landing.

Video captured onboard shows Chierichella and other passengers trying to put out the fire.

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Smoke inside airplane

“I don’t want to sound like I’m trying to be a hero or anything,” Chierichella told Action News Jax, WFTV′s sister station in Jacksonville.

The former firefighter added, “Like I said, it’s just instinct. We are on a plane, I don’t know if there is water coming.”

He suffered some minor burns to his hand during the incident, but is grateful things ended the way they did.

“It’s blistering -- it’s a bunch of blisters on this finger, it will be fine. That we can recover from.”

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According to Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department, the fire started due to a battery in a passenger’s personal item.

Smoke inside airplane

Many passengers said they used Uber or buses to finally get to Orlando.

Spirit Airlines also provided transportation and vouchers to people on that flight.

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