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Denver Jet Crash: Scary, But It Could Have Been Way Worse

A Houston-bound jet skidded off the runway and caught on fire during takeoff in Denver Saturday night, resulting in 38 injuries but no fatalities. Some witnesses said the Continental 737 hadn't left the ground yet when it veered off the runway and into a ravine.

There's no doubt it was a terrifying situation for the 112 passengers on board, who had to exit the plane via inflatable slide, but I'm sure most of them consider themselves lucky right now, like they just got a new lease on life. Just think about how much worse it would have been if the plane was a few hundred feet in the sky before going out of control.

It also sounds like the evacuation went pretty well. College student Emily Pellegrini told the Denver Post that she just "went with the flow off the plane," leaving behind her cell phone and carry-on bag. Somebody's been paying attention to the passenger emergency procedures demonstration.

Investigators are on the scene, and the cause of the accident is under investigation. Not surprisingly, the incident has resulted in some delays, but for one fortunate group of fliers, that probably doesn't seem like a big deal right now.

[Photo: AP]

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