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SARASOTA – A United Airlines 737, taking off at SRQ this afternoon was forced to return to the gate after it blew a tire.

Airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo tells SNN United Flight 642 was taking off when it blew a tire at about the middle of the runway. 

The pilot safely brought the plane to a halt and then headed back to the gate to deplane the passengers. 

Airport operations were shut down at 2:31 PM and opened exactly one hour later, once emergency crews removed debris from the runway surface. 

No injuries reported.