What happened
During the takeoff roll, flight attendants observed a haze developing within the cabin. As the aircraft rotated and commenced its climb, the haze became more dense. At approximately 500 feet above ground level, the smoke detector in the rear lavatory activated, the "smoke toilet" alert was displayed in the cockpit, and a strong odor of smoke was noted by those on board.
The captain declared an emergency and returned the aircraft to the airport. Following a safe and uneventful landing, the captain ordered an emergency evacuation using the four available exits. During the evacuation, one passenger exited through a window exit and sustained one injury, specifically a fractured bone in her right foot.
The investigation
Company maintenance personnel inspected the aircraft following the event. The inspection revealed that an air conditioning pack had failed, which was determined to be the source of the haze observed in the cabin.