U.S. B-1 bomber burns at Middle East base

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military says all four crew members safely evacuated from a B-1 bomber that caught fire after landing at an Air Force base in Qatar.

The Air Force says the bomber was taxiing after landing at al-Udeid Air Base and caught fire.

"The crew evacuated the aircraft and is safe. The fire was contained," the Air Force said in a statement.

A board of inquiry has been appointed to investigate.

Al-Udeid is the headquarters of all American air operations in the Middle East. U.S. defense officials said they did not know what mission the bomber was conducting.

The B-1 is a long-range bomber aircraft capable of flying intercontinental missions without refueling and is able to penetrate sophisticated defensive networks.

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