Guidance posted online by the Federal Aviation Administration advises passengers to leave bags on board during an evacuation – but does not mandate it. Airline crews may make that announcement during preflight safety demonstrations, and during an emergency, would typically tell people to leave bags behind.

The plane was seen engulfed in flames and smoke.

The Boeing 777-200 is one of the most popular planes now being used by airlines.

BA would not reveal how numerous passengers were British, although the Las Vegas to Gatwick route is popular with United Kingdom leisure travellers.

“I know the papers are saying no, he’s a hero”, he said. Then we saw the flames and smoke. Most of the 14 minor injuries reported were from the evacuation slide and British Airways said Wednesday that those who were taken to a hospital were treated and released.

One line of inquiry is like to surround reports that the plane’s fire suppression equipment was deployed but failed to extinguish the blaze, a source close to the investigation told CNN.

The plane stopped and sat for what felt like a minute, Jennings said.

The large plane with two GE90 engines was built in 1998 and was registered to British Airways a year later.

A spokesman for Boeing said the aircraft manufacturer was reviewing the incident.

Dr Brown said the investigators would examine the parts found on the runway for signs of fatigue while t he possibility of something going into the engine would be considered by looking for marks on its front fan.

A Heathrow Airport spokesman said: “It was a full emergency but it’s all clear”. Injuries were mostly bumps, bruises and scrapes from the plane’s slides.

British Airways said it is providing passengers with hotels and whatever else they may need, and added that the safety of its customers and crew is a top priority.

– On Tuesday evening, the airplane was photographed and the runway debris documented by FAA and airport officials before airplane was towed to secluded area of the airport (in order to reopen the runway).

The British Airways Boeing 777, carrying 170 passengers and crew, may have experienced a mechanical failure that tore apart the engine, spitting flames and segments of hot metal into the fuselage, located just under the cabin, experts said.

McCarren is the ninth busiest airport in the United States.

The flight took off from Washington Dulles worldwide Airport just after 11pm EDT and arrived at Heathrow at 10.38am United Kingdom time.