In a recent incident at Melbourne’s airport, a heart-stopping moment unfolded when an Etihad Airways plane, carrying close to 300 passengers, had to swiftly cancel its take-off plans.

Local news reports detailed a dramatic scene where the plane’s landing gear caught on fire, releasing clouds of dark smoke at a critical juncture.

This fire led to the explosion of two front wheels, sparking panic among the passengers on board.

The flight, designated as EY461, was heading to Abu Dhabi, just moments away from taking off from Melbourne Airport on a Sunday evening when the startling incident occurred.

Video footage captured the aircraft surrounded by numerous large fire trucks racing to extinguish the flames on the tarmac.

A passenger, speaking to the media, recounted how the plane was forced to hit its emergency brakes just as it was set to lift off, causing a substantial jolt.

This occurred shortly after the landing gear’s alarm alerted to the fire.

The impressive Boeing 787 jet, now with two flat tires, remained stationary on the runway, which has been temporarily closed.

Thankfully, there were no reported injuries, as all 289 passengers were quickly and safely escorted off the plane and returned to the terminal.

Etihad Airlines’ spokesperson mentioned that the crew chose to suspend the take-off due to technical reasons, successfully bringing the aircraft to a halt on the runway while emergency teams encircled it.