A number of patients have been taken to hospital after a plane dumped fuel over two schools six miles apart- hitting a playground at one.

Footage showed a Delta flight soaring over LA dumping fuel as it made an emergency landing at Los Angeles' LAX Airport shortly before children began reporting 'fume' irritation.

Seventeen children and nine adults sustained "minor injuries," LA County Fire says, confirming they had been affected by jet fuel.

The fire department tweeted that firefighters and paramedics had treated patients at the scene, and none needed to be taken to hospital.

Pupils at 93rd Street Elementary in South LA and Park Avenue Elementary in Cudahy were affected, AB7 reports.

School children were reporting skin irritation and a noxious smell, according to the ABC.

A Delta spokesman said: “Shortly after takeoff, Flight 89 from LAX to Shanghai experienced an engine issue requiring the aircraft to return to LAX. The aircraft landed safely after an emergency fuel release to reduce landing weight."

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US reports said the flight bound for Shanghai had managed to make a safe emergency landing at the airport in LA.

The fire service said earlier there had been an "apparent fuel dump by aircraft on its final approach to LAX."

It later confirmed the substance was jet fuel.

Reports said as many as 30 children were being treated.

Los Angeles Unified school officials said they were aware of the situation at Park Avenue Elementary School and were looking into it, reports the Daily Star.

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The fire service tweeted that 70 firefighters and paramedics are on-scene at the school "committed to providing care for those injured."

All  26 patients were being assessed by paramedics and firefighters, the fire department said.

The Mirror Online has approached Delta for comment.

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