Moment flames shoot from the engine of a Boeing jet before take-off forcing terrified passengers to jump from emergency exits

This is the moment terrified passengers were forced to leap out of a plane's emergency exit after flames began to shoot out from the Boeing jet's engine moments before takeoff.

The Boeing 737-500 aircraft, bound for the town of Wamena, caught fire at Sentani Airport in Jayapura, Papua Province, Indonesia on Tuesday, forcing its 121 passengers to evacuate.

Horrifying footage shows how smoke billowed out from the aircraft's engine, while another clip captured the moment petrified passengers had to stand on the wing of the plane as they awaited their turn to get off.

People on board the jet were also seen skidding down an inflatable emergency slide, as screams and sirens blared in the background.

One passenger reportedly noticed the fire and panicked, prompting them to open the emergency door while screaming to other travellers.

Dozens of spooked flyers followed suit, pushing and shoving their way to the exit.

The flight was reportedly cancelled and two others were delayed due to the fire.

Airport security head Iptu Wajedi said: 'When the exhaust gases hit for the first time, sometimes a fire breaks out.

'Seeing this, passengers were shocked and tried to escape from the fire.

'So everyone scattered from the plane in fear.

'All the passengers were able to get off the plane and are now in the waiting room.'

He added: 'We are trying to find the identity of the passenger who was the first to say that the plane was on fire.'

Airport spokesperson Surya Eka said: 'The Trigana Air plane with flight code IL237, a Boeing 737-500 from Sentani Airport in Jayapura to Wamena, was cancelled because a passenger suddenly opened the emergency door when he saw fire coming out of the plane's engine.'

He said 'four passengers were injured' due to the pushing and shoving to get off the plane.

The injured travellers were treated at the Health Quarantine Centre.

Eka added: 'The incident caused the plane, which was supposed to carry 121 passengers to Wamena, to not take off.'

He said they are currently waiting for the National Transportation Safety Committee to carry out an investigation into the cause of the fire.

It comes after a tire on a Boeing 737 plane exploded as its pilots prepared to take off from Tampa International Airport back in July.

Video of the attempted takeoff shows how a layer of grey smoke filled the air after the tire sparked, leaving rubber fragments spewed across the runway.

There were 174 passengers and six crew members on board the Phoenix-bound flight, an American Airlines spokesperson said. No one was injured in the incident.

The smoking engine is just the latest in a series of alarming issues plaguing the troubled Boeing aircraft.