Tyres of Boeing plane 'explode' during take-off at Melbourne Airport

The flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi was forced to halt take-off amid fears that the plane’s wheels had burst.

An airline spokesperson said the flight was stopped for “technical reasons” and that the fire service was rushed to the scene to apply foam to the tyres as a precaution.

Footage from the scene showed fire engines surrounding the Boeing 787 with two deflated tyres on the landing gear.

One witness reportedly posted on social media that the pilot of the flight "had to slam on the emergency brakes" while attempting take-off.

An Etihad spokesperson quashed any suggestions of a fire, saying take-off was rejected on technical grounds.

The flight crew decided to halt the take-off for technical reasons, the aircraft was safely brought to a stop on the runway and emergency services attended as a precaution.

"Guests have been disembarked safely and our teams are working to enable them to continue their onward journeys as quickly as possible.

"Etihad Airways sincerely regrets any inconvenience caused. The safety and comfort of our guests and crew remain our highest priority.