Jetliner evacuated at O'Hare; one injured

Passengers and crew of a jetliner traveling from China to O'Hare International Airport had to be evacuated upon landing Friday because of a report of smoke in the cabin.

One passenger suffered back pain and was taken to Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago, but the rest of the 269 travelers and crew were uninjured, authorities said.

The incident happened at 3:55 p.m. after United Flight 836 landed in Chicago. The Boeing 777 stopped on a taxiway so emergency chutes could be deployed, Federal Aviation Authority spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said.

The evacuation was ordered as a safety precaution, airline officials said. United had no further details Friday night on what caused the problem.

Passengers were bused to the terminal.

Cecelia McCoppin, a Winthrop Harbor resident, saw the evacuation as her flight from Washington, D.C., was taxiing in.

"It seemed pretty calm for a strange situation," McCoppin said.

"All the slides were deployed and passengers were standing outside," she said. "Some people were still coming down the slides but not in a panic mode."

Despite a full fleet of emergency vehicles, McCoppin did not see any smoke coming from the jetliner or any foam being sprayed.

The flight set off from Shanghai and was scheduled to stop in Chicago before continuing to New York City.