APRIL 15, 09:53 EST

Fire Aborts Tel Aviv Flight Takeoff

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — A fire in a toilet caused a Tel Aviv-bound KLM flight to abort takeoff Sunday and passengers were evacuated by the emergency chutes. A spokesman said arson was suspected.

The public prosecutor's office ordered the plane impounded for investigation. One person was injured, but it was not clear how, said KLM spokesman Hugo Baas.

Passengers said the captain slammed on the brakes as the aircraft was picking up speed on the runway for liftoff when a fire indicator lit up in the cockpit.

The plane, carrying 225 passengers and about 10 crew, taxied back to the terminal. A quick check of the cabin failed to find the cause of problem, and a faulty indicator was initially suspected. But about 15 minutes later a stewardess detected smoke coming from a toilet and the plane was quickly evacuated.

Baas said the paper towels and toilet paper had caught fire, and there was a ``strong suspicion'' that it was deliberate.

http://wire.ap.org/?SLUG=NETHERLANDS%2dFLIGHT

-- Carl Jenkins (somewherepress@aol.com), April 15, 2001