New Delhi: Panic briefly broke out aboard an IndiGo flight bound for Dimapur on Sunday after a passenger’s power bank caught fire while the aircraft was taxiing at Delhi airport. The cabin crew responded swiftly, extinguishing the flames within seconds and preventing a potential disaster.
According to sources cited by PTI, the incident occurred as the Airbus A320neo aircraft was preparing for take-off. IndiGo confirmed that no injuries were reported and that all passengers and crew were safe.
In an official statement, the airline said flight 6E 2107, operating from Delhi to Dimapur, “returned to the bay due to a minor fire triggered by a passenger’s personal electronic device stored in the seat-back pocket.”
“The crew managed the situation promptly by following standard operating procedures, and the fire was brought under control within seconds,” IndiGo stated.
Data from Flightradar24.com showed that the aircraft eventually departed from Delhi at 2:33 pm and landed in Dimapur at 4:45 pm, after a delay from its scheduled 12:25 pm departure.
IndiGo added that all relevant authorities were informed immediately in accordance with safety protocol and that the aircraft was cleared for operation following technical checks. “We thank our customers for remaining calm and cooperative. Our teams made every effort to minimise inconvenience, including providing refreshments,” the airline said.
Details on the exact number of passengers onboard were not immediately available.
The incident comes just days after a similar battery-related fire was reported aboard an Air China flight from Hangzhou to Seoul, when a lithium battery caught fire in an overhead compartment during boarding. The recurrence of such cases has once again raised safety concerns over the handling and carriage of portable electronic devices on flights.
