LOS ANGELES – Firefighters were treating 17 children and six adults for minor injuries on Tuesday after a commercial airliner landing at Los Angeles International airport apparently dumped fuel on their school playground, county fire officials said.
“(Firefighters) working to confirm substance dropped by aircraft although initial reports stated smell of jet fuel in area,” The Los Angeles County Fire Department said on Twitter.
The department said in a second tweet that “70 firefighters and paramedics on-scene and committed to providing care for those injured.”
The fire department did not immediately identify the school. The Los Angeles Times reported that it was Park Avenue Elementary School in the Los Angeles suburb of Cudahy, on the flight path to LAX.
MCI | FS163 | 8000 Park Ave #Cudahy | BN 13 and 3 units on-scene elementary school assessing multiple patients after apparent fuel dump by aircraft on final approach to LAX hits playground.
— L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) January 14, 2020
The Times said that police could be seen driving behind the jet with sirens as it landed at LAX.
Local news outlets reported that approximately 20 students were reporting skin irritation and noxious smells.
Firefighters are still working to verify that the substance was jet fuel, NBC Los Angeles reported.
A Delta Airlines flight returned to Los Angeles International shortly after takeoff, KABC reported.
BNO News published footage of Delta Flight 89 dumping fuel en route to the airport.
UPDATE: 23 people, including 17 children, treated for minor injuries after plane dumps fuel on approach to Los Angeles International Airport https://t.co/ar29khgCRJ
— BNO News (@BNONews) January 14, 2020
(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb in Culver City, California; Editing by Chris Reese and Sandra Maler. Pluralist contributed to this report.)