For a commercial certified aircraft, the aircraft is required to be able to continue takeoff after an engine failure PROVIDED it has reached a high enough speed; otherwise it stops.
Consider if the engine fails as soon as the brakes are released; the aircraft would have to accelerate all the way from zero speed on one engine, which might require more runway than is available, so of course in this case the aircraft just stops. If you wanted to be dramatic you could say it "couldn't take off" but there was no need for it to try.
All takeoffs are conducted knowing a speed called "V1" - above that speed the takeoff can be safely continued, even after an engine failure. below that speed the aircraft can safely stop. In addition, there may actually be some overlap such that you can "go" below V1 and "stop" above V1 but that is just "extra".
I think the journalist (or his editor) were just being over-dramatic.