Jetstar engine fire forces passenger evacuation

An engine fire on a Jetstar flight has forced the emergency evacuation of 170 passengers at the NSW regional airport of Newcastle.

The number one engine on the left side of the Airbus 320 caught fire briefly as the plane landed about 6.30pm AEST on Tuesday after a flight from Brisbane.

A Jetstar spokesman said when a ground crew worker and the pilots became aware of the fire an emergency evacuation began.

Passengers were moved from the plane without their carry-on baggage as a safety precaution.

The fire is believed to have been caused by a small amount of excess jet fuel around the engine.

The incident lasted only a few seconds, the spokesman said, and extinguished itself.

No one was injured during the incident.

Passengers booked on the return flight to Brisbane were given overnight accommodation while the aircraft was inspected.

The Airbus 320 will remain grounded until safety checks were completed and the cause of the fire was determined.