139 passengers evacuate San Jose-bound Southwest flight that caught fire

A San Jose-bound airplane caught fire Monday night, forcing passengers and crew members to evacuate the aircraft on slides.

The Southwest Airlines flight was scheduled to take off at 7:30 p.m. from Orange County’s John Wayne Airport. Southwest spokeswoman Michelle Agnew said in a statement that the pilot “received an indication by ground personnel of a possible fire near the rear exterior of aircraft.”

Evacuation slides were deployed and all 139 passengers and five crew members exited the plane, Agnew said. “No serious injuries were reported,” she added.

A fire forced passengers and crew to evacuate a Southwest flight bound for San Jose Monday night, officials said. A fire forced passengers and crew to evacuate a Southwest flight bound for San Jose Monday night, officials said. Photo: Joe Raedle, Getty Images Photo: Joe Raedle, Getty Images Image 1 of / 25 Caption Close 139 passengers evacuate San Jose-bound Southwest flight that caught fire 1 / 25 Back to Gallery

Deanne Thompson, a spokeswoman for John Wayne Airport, said that four or five people sustained minor abrasions from sliding down the evacuation slides.

“My understanding is that the chutes are made from the same material as a bouncy house, and sliding down them is not necessarily a short ride,” Thompson said. She said the people were treated on the scene and declined to go to the hospital.

The airport also reported that the fire is believed to have started in the auxiliary power unit,

Agnew said that passengers eventually made it to San Jose on a different aircraft, after a four-hour delay. The flight landed just after midnight at San Jose International Airport.

Sophie Haigney is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophie.haigney@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophieHaigney