United Airlines Flight 1579 sits on the tarmac at Newark Liberty International Airport after flames were reported coming from an engine, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, in Newark, New Jersey, U.S., May 23, 2017. Courtesy Oliver Roup/Twitter/Handout via REUTERS

(Reuters) - Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey reopened late on Tuesday after being shut down when 131 people were evacuated from a United Airlines flight over flames seen emerging from an aircraft engine.

United Airlines Flight 1579, a Boeing 757, was on a taxiway bound for San Francisco at about 9 p.m. when the flames were spotted coming from its right-side engine, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a written statement.

United spokesman Jonathan Guerin said the aircraft was notified of the apparent fire by the control tower and one person suffered an ankle injury while evacuating.

Five people suffered minor injuries during the incident and travelers should expect delays through the night, an airport spokesman told Reuters in an email.

Guerin said there were 124 passengers and seven crew aboard the plane. The passengers were ferried back to the terminal and would be put on later flights, he added.

The FAA said it would investigate the incident.

Flight tracking website Flightaware.com said all inbound flights were being held at Newark until at least 11 p.m and advised passengers of delays of up to 90 minutes because of taxiway congestion.

(This story corrects headline to make clear airport reopened.)</s>NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Newark Liberty International Airport was temporarily closed as a United Airlines flight preparing to take off was grounded due to a fire in one of its engines Tuesday evening.

As CBS2’s Brian Conybeare reported, total of 124 passengers and seven crew members were on board the taxiing United flight 1579 when the fire broke out in an engine on the right side of the aircraft.

Emergency response teams at #EWR; plane with reported engine fire. No reported injuries. Airport closed for passenger safety.Expect delays. — Newark Airport (@EWRairport) May 24, 2017

Emergency slides were deployed around 9 p.m. as passengers evacuated the plane originally bound for San Francisco, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighters from the Port Authority Police Department worked to bring the blaze under control.

#EWR has reopened after earlier incident of plane with apparent engine fire. Reports of 5 minor injuries. Expect delays remainder of night. — Port Authority NY&NJ (@PANYNJ) May 24, 2017

The airport was closed for almost two hours as the Boeing 757 jet was towed to the United hangar and its passengers were shuttled by bus to Terminal C.

Five minor injuries have been reported as the airport has reopened with residual delays, according to the Port Authority.

United Airlines says the redeye flight to San Francisco should take off using a different aircraft just after midnight.

The FAA is investigating exactly how the engine fire started.</s>United Airlines Flight 1579 sits on the tarmac at Newark Liberty International Airport after flames were reported coming from an engine, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, in Newark, New Jersey, U.S., May 23, 2017. Courtesy Oliver Roup/Twitter/Handout via REUTERS

(Reuters) - Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was shut down and 131 people evacuated from a United Airlines flight on Tuesday evening after flames were spotted coming from one of the jet's engines.

United Airlines Flight 1579, a Boeing 757, was on a taxiway bound for San Francisco at about 9 p.m. eastern time when the flames were seen coming from the right-side engine, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a written statement.

A spokesman for United, Jonathan Guerin, said that the aircraft was notified of the apparent fire by the tower and that one person suffered an ankle injury while evacuating.

Guerin said the plane had been carrying 124 passengers and seven crew members. He said that passengers had been transported back to the terminal and would be accommodated on later flights to San Francisco.

The airport, one of three serving the New York City area, said in a series of tweets that there were no injuries reported but that the facility would be closed for safety reasons and advised passengers to expect delays.

The FAA said it would investigate the incident.

Flight tracking website Flightaware.com issued an alert that all inbound flights were being held at Newark until at least 11 p.m eastern and advised passengers of 90 minute delays due to taxiway congestion.</s>New Jersey: Newark Liberty International Airport reopened late on Tuesday after being shut down when 131 people were evacuated from a United Airlines flight over flames seen emerging from an aircraft engine.

United Airlines Flight 1579, a Boeing 757, was on a taxiway bound for San Francisco at about 9 p.m. when the flames were spotted coming from its right-side engine, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a written statement.

United spokesman Jonathan Guerin said the aircraft was notified of the apparent fire by the control tower and one person suffered an ankle injury while evacuating.

Five people suffered minor injuries during the incident and travellers should expect delays through the night, an airport spokesman told Reuters in an email.

Guerin said there were 124 passengers and seven crew aboard the plane. The passengers were ferried back to the terminal and would be put on later flights, he added.

The FAA said it would investigate the incident.

Flight tracking website Flightaware.com said all inbound flights were being held at Newark until at least 11 p.m and advised passengers of delays of up to 90 minutes because of taxiway congestion.</s>New Jersey: Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was reopened late on Tuesday night after it was shut down when 131 people were evacuated from a United Airlines flight after flames were spotted coming from one of the jet’s engines.

United Airlines Flight 1579, a Boeing 757, was on a taxiway bound for San Francisco at about 9 p.m. eastern time when the flames were seen coming from the right-side engine, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a written statement.

A spokesman for United, Jonathan Guerin, said that the aircraft was notified of the apparent fire by the tower and that one person suffered an ankle injury while evacuating.

Five people suffered minor injuries during the incident and travelers should expect delays throughout the night, a spokesman for the airport said in an email to Reuters.

Guerin said the plane had been carrying 124 passengers and seven crew members. He said that passengers had been transported back to the terminal and would be accommodated on later flights to San Francisco.

The FAA said it would investigate the incident.

Flight tracking website Flightaware.com issued an alert that all inbound flights were being held at Newark until at least 11 pm eastern and advised passengers of 90 minute delays due to taxiway congestion.

What to read next:</s>United Airlines Flight 1579 sits on the tarmac at Newark Liberty International Airport after flames were reported coming from an engine, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, in Newark, New Jersey, U.S., May 23, 2017. Courtesy Oliver Roup/Twitter/Handout via... Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was reopened late on Tuesday night after it was shut down when 131 people were evacuated from a United Airlines flight after flames were spotted coming from one of the jet's engines.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Reuters.</s>WABC-TV(NEWARK, N.J.) — Newark Liberty International Airport was temporarily closed on Tuesday night after a plane engine caught fire.

Emergency chutes were deployed from United 1579 and passengers evacuated after “flames were reported coming from the right side of the engine,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Boeing 757 was headed to San Francisco from Newark, New Jersey, when the control tower notified the United Airlines crew of the apparent flames while the plane was taxiing, United spokesman Jonathan Guerin said in a statement.

“Customers are being transported back to the terminal,” the statement said. “We are working to get our customers to San Francisco as soon as possible.”

There were five minor injuries, according to Newark Airport.

The airport said it was closed for the safety of passengers and to expect delays. It was reopened a few hours later.</s>NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport has reopened after a plane engine caught fire, prompting a temporarily closure.

United Airlines Flight 1579 from Newark to San Francisco was scheduled to take off Tuesday night when officials say its engine caught fire.

A spokesman for United, Jonathan Guerin, says the tower notified the crew of what appeared to be flames from one of the engines. He says the crew immediately deployed the plane's slides and evacuated the passengers.

The airport says on Twitter that five people suffered minor injuries.

United says it's working to get the passengers to San Francisco as soon as possible.

The airport says travelers should expect delays for the remainder of the night.</s>New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport has reopened after a plane engine caught fire, prompting a temporarily closure.United Airlines Flight 1579 from Newark to San Francisco was supposed to depart at 9:22 p.m. on Tuesday.The Boeing 757 had 124 passengers and seven crew members aboard.A spokesman for United, Jonathan Guerin, said the tower notified the crew while the plane was taxiing of what appeared to be flames from one of the engines. He said the crew immediately deployed the plane's slides and evacuated the passengers.Passengers of the plane were evacuated by using the slide.Fire has been extinguished.Five passengers suffered minor injuries during the evacuation.The passengers were then brought to Terminal C, Gate 71. United said it's working to get the passengers to San Francisco as soon as possible.United Airlines released a statement saying:There was a ground stop for about an hour and a half after the plane engine.</s>A United Airlines aircraft's engine caught fire Tuesday night at Newark Liberty International Airport prior to departing for San Francisco, prompting the temporary closure of the New Jersey airport.

United flight # 1579, a Boeing 757 with 124 passengers and 7 crew members, was scheduled to leave at 9:22 p.m, reported ABC affiliate WABC.

But at 9:38 p.m. the airport tweeted, "Newark Airport is temporarily closed due to deployment of emergency chutes on a plane with an apparent engine fire. No injuries reported."

"Emergency response teams at #EWR; plane with reported engine fire," the airport tweeted at 9:55 p.m. "No reported injuries. Airport closed for passenger safety. Expect delays."

About an hour later, though, the airport was reopened, "#EWR has reopened after earlier incident of plane with apparent engine fire," the airport tweeted at 10:42 p.m. "Reports of 5 minor injuries. Expect delays remainder of night."

United said in a statement, "During taxiing of United flight 1579 from Newark to San Francisco, the tower notified the crew of what appeared to be flames from one of the engines. The crew immediately deployed the slides and evacuated the aircraft. At this time we have a report of only one minor injury. Customers are being transported back to the terminal. We are working to get our customers to San Francisco as soon as possible."

The FAA tells ABC News "flames were reported coming from the right side of the engine."

ABC News' Joshua Hoyos, Rex Sakamoto, Omar Rodriguez and Erin Dooley contributed to this report.
Newark Liberty International Airport in northern New Jersey is closed for almost two hours after flames are spotted coming from a United Airlines Boeing 757 jet engine. All 124 passengers and seven crew members safely evacuate the plane.