The passengers were injured as they tried to exit the plane down the emergency slides at Paris' Orly airport south of the French capital, Helene Courcoul, chief of staff at the Val de Marne prefecture said.

The incident occurred about 10:35 am aboard a plane operated by the low-cost carrier Vueling that was on its way from Paris to Alicante in southeastern Spain. The aircraft went into reverse to disengage from the boarding ramp when one of the engines caught fire for unknown reasons, Courcoul said.

Seven people were slightly injured with as they tried to slide down the emergency toboggans, she said. They were treated by Orly airport medical personnel.

Firemen rushed to the scene and quickly put out the blaze. The 169 passengers and six crew members were evacuated.

There was no damage to airport facilities or to other nearby aircraft.

Airbus said it would have no comment for the time being.