A Delhi-bound SpiceJet flight’s engine caught fire after a bird hit during takeoff from Patna, with some accounts claiming that sighting of the flame from the ground by neighbourhood residents triggered the first alert and helped avert a tragedy.

The Boeing 737-800 turned round and made an emergency landing, and all its 185 passengers, among them two infants, and crew members were safe, authorities said.

A SpiceJet statement, however, said it had been the pilots who “suspected a bird hit on the engine” and took appropriate decisions, and some passengers said they had noticed flames and sparks during takeoff and alerted the cabin crew.

Flight SG-723 had taken off around 12.10pm and was gaining height when residents of the Phulwarisharif locality near the airport noticed sparks flying out of the left engine and informed the district administration.

“We received information from local people about fire in the aircraft’s left engine and informed the airport authorities,” Patna district magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh told reporters, asserting that this was the first alarm sounded.

“The pilot then used his (cockpit) mechanism and verified the fire.”

Around 25 minutes passed between takeoff and landing. “Appropriate authorities will investigate the matter,” Patna airport director Anchal Prakash said.

Many of the passengers rushed out to meet family members who had stayed back or arrived after learning about the fire, which took social media by storm with videos filmed from inside the aircraft and from the ground.

“There were thudding sounds during takeoff and some people noticed sparks and flames coming out of the left engine,” a passenger who gave his name as Gaurav said.

“The crew told us the flight was returning to Patna airport. We got to know the details only after landing.”

A video clip, apparently filmed by a passenger, shows bursts of flame and sparks flying out of the left engine during takeoff.

The directorate-general of civil aviation said: “The plane was hit by a bird and one of its engines stopped working. It returned and all passengers onboard are safe.”

A SpiceJet statement said: “On takeoff, during rotation, the cockpit crew suspected a bird hit on the engine. As a precautionary measure and as per the standard operating procedure, the captain shut down the affected engine and decided to return to Patna….

“Post-flight inspection showed a bird hit with three fan blades (of the engine) damaged.”

The airline later arranged alternative flights for the Delhi-bound passengers, but several of them decided not to travel after the ordeal.

Patna airport is considered hazardous because of its short runway. Dense populations and abattoirs around it make it prone to bird hits.

An Alliance Air flight had crashed in Patna in 2000 during landing, killing over 50 people. The investigation blamed pilot error.