Cabin smoke, odor forces evacuation of plane before takeoff at IND airport

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A scheduled flight from Indianapolis to Chicago stopped shortly before takeoff Saturday morning after a report of smoke or odor in the cabin, Republic Airways says.

In a statement to News 8, a spokesman for Republic said Flight 4837 from Indianapolis International Airport to O’Hare International Airport pulled off the runway, where passengers and crew were evacuated. They were later returned to the terminal. The hourlong flight had been set to take off at 7:30 a.m.

No serious injuries were reported, the spokesman says.

The plane was an Embraer E175. The plane’s seating can be reconfigured for 76-88 seats, according to the manufacturer. Republic did not say how many passengers were on the plane.

Travelers and their luggage were taken to another aircraft, Republic says. That flight took off shortly after 10 a.m. and arrived in Chicago about an hour later.

The spokesman says the Indianapolis-based company apologizes for the inconvenience.