A fire broke out on British Airtours Flight 28M, causing 55 deaths mostly due to smoke inhalation and bringing about changes to make aircraft evacuation more effective.

The 1985 Manchester Airport disaster occurred when British Airtours Flight 28M, an international passenger flight, was en route from Manchester Airport to Corfu International Airport. It caught fire on takeoff on 22 August 1985, resulting in 55 fatalities.

Smoke inhalation is the breathing in of harmful fumes through the respiratory tract. This can cause smoke inhalation injury which is damage to the respiratory tract caused by chemical or heat exposure, as well as possible systemic toxicity after smoke inhalation. Smoke inhalation can occur from fires of various sources such as residential, vehicle, and wildfires. Morbidity and mortality rates in fire victims with burns are increased in those with smoke inhalation injury. Victims of smoke inhalation injury can present with cough, difficulty breathing, low oxygen saturation, smoke debris or burns on the face. Smoke inhalation injury can affect the upper respiratory tract, usually due to heat exposure, or the lower respiratory tract, usually due to exposure to toxic fumes. Initial treatment includes taking the victim away from the fire and smoke, giving 100% oxygen at a high flow through a face mask, and checking the victim for injuries to the body. Treatment for smoke inhalation injury is largely supportive, with varying degrees of consensus on benefits of specific treatments.