This is the terrifying moment passengers fled from a Delta Air Lines plane when the nose caught fire.

The Airbus A321neo had just arrived from Cancun, Mexico, at the Seattle Tacoma International Airport when the 189 fliers were ordered to make an emergency evacuation.

CCTV shows flames erupting from the aircraft as passengers clamber through the wing door and flee on the emergency inflatable slide on May 6.

Shaken traveller Ashwin Menon said: 'I think people responded to that with panic, there was a little bit of jostling in the aisles to get to the exit. But overall it was a pretty smooth evacuation process.'

Investigators found that an electrical cord that the plane plugged into after landing generated sparks which caused the fire.

A Delta spokesman said: 'During deplaning on the evening of May 6, the crew of Flight 604 from Cancun to Seattle witnessed smoke in the aircraft nose area after plugging into ground electrical power.

'Out of an abundance of caution, slides were deployed and passengers still on board deplaned via the rear of the aircraft.'

'Passengers were fully evacuated, and those deplaned to the ramp returned to the terminal via the ramp stairs.

'All passengers exited to customs in the International Arrivals Facility for regular processing. The aircraft has been removed from service for inspection and maintenance.'

The Airbus A320 is one of the world's most popular planes for short and medium-haul flights. Delta has 58 Airbus A321neos in service.