An emergency evacuation was conducted on an IndiGo flight on Tuesday afternoon due to a fire that broke out from a passenger’s power bank.
The flight, designated IndiGo 6E-108, was traveling from Ahmedabad to Chandigarh and had safely landed at 3:29 PM when the incident took place while the aircraft was taxiing at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reported that after the aircraft had landed and was taxiing into the bay, a power bank stored in a seat pocket by a passenger in seat 39C ignited. The aircraft was subsequently halted in the bay.
IndiGo confirmed that the incident occurred while the aircraft was stationary post-landing. An official statement from the airline noted, “On May 5, 2026, while IndiGo flight 6E 108 from Hyderabad to Chandigarh was stationary after landing, an incident involving a customer’s personal electronic device catching fire was reported. An immediate evacuation was executed in the interest of safety, and all necessary authorities were notified promptly.”
The airline also stated that all passengers were safely escorted to the terminal and were being attended to following the incident.
An official from the airport revealed that the passenger in seat 39C, identified as Devansh, alerted the flight crew upon discovering the flames in his power bank. The cabin crew swiftly utilized onboard fire extinguishers to control the situation, although smoke had already begun to permeate the cabin.
Once the aircraft reached Bay No. 1, the crew declared an emergency around 3:35 PM and opened the emergency exits. Passengers utilized inflatable slides for evacuation, leading to a brief period of chaos.
During the evacuation, a passenger in seat 25F, Richa Acharya, suffered an ankle injury after slipping on the slide amid the rush. A total of five individuals, including two children, reported minor injuries.
An Indian Air Force fire tender arrived at the scene around 3:38 PM, but by that time, the fire had already been extinguished, and no further action was needed.
Following the incident, crew member Abhishek accompanied the injured to a private hospital in Zirakpur for first aid treatment.
Saurav Acharya, a banker traveling with his family from Goa to Mohali, shared with The Indian Express that his wife Richa, who works for the Punjab Health Systems Corporation, sustained multiple leg fractures during the evacuation. He explained, “She slipped while coming down the emergency slide in the chaos. She is currently receiving treatment and is being prepared for surgery at another hospital in Mohali.” He added that the crew provided adequate care and support until they reached the hospital.
IndiGo further stated that the aircraft would undergo a comprehensive inspection prior to being cleared for future flights, emphasizing that the safety of both passengers and crew is their utmost priority.
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