The Incident
During the takeoff roll, both flight attendants observed a haze in the cabin. As the airplane rotated and began to climb, the haze thickened. At approximately 500 feet above ground level, the smoke detector in the rear lavatory sounded, and the "smoke toilet" message was displayed in the cockpit. A strong odor of smoke was present.
The captain declared an emergency and returned to the airport. After a safe and uneventful landing, the captain ordered an emergency evacuation utilizing the airplane's four exits. According to a statement provided by the flight attendants, a passenger exited the airplane through a window exit and fractured a bone in her right foot.
Maintenance Findings
Company maintenance personnel examined the airplane and found that an air conditioning pack had failed, which would have resulted in a haze in the cabin.