American Airlines plane evacuated after smoke detection

An American Airlines flight had to be evacuated in North Carolina after smoke was detected from the plane, with a flight attendant taken to a nearby hospital, according to officials.

All 50 passengers and three crew members were rushed off Flight 5720 just as smoke was reported just before it was about to take off early Thursday from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Columbia, South Carolina, The Charlotte Observer reported.

A flight attendant was taken to hospital for a precautionary assessment, but no serious injuries were reported, the outlet said.

It was not immediately clear how the staff were injured.

The Charlotte Fire Department responded and cleared the scene, and the plane was then towed to the gate to be inspected by a maintenance crew, according to the report.

The flight departed for Columbia on a replacement flight, the outlet reported — with FlightAware data showing it departed nearly three hours late.

The plane, operated by Piedmont Airlines, reported mechanical problems, American Airlines said in a statement apologizing to passengers for the scare.

“We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans and apologize for the inconvenience this caused,” the airline said.