Major Tragedy Averted as Air India Passenger Coach Catches Fire at Delhi Airport
A swift response from airport fire teams brought the blaze near Terminal 3 under control; no injuries were reported and flight operations remained unaffected.
A swift response by airport emergency services averted a major tragedy today after an Air India passenger coach caught fire near Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
The incident occurred at 12:25 pm near the C-34 aircraft parking pier. The bus, registered as DL1PD3975 and operated by Air India SATS (AISATS), was reportedly powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
According to initial reports from airport authorities, the driver, Satish Chand, noticed the fire and immediately evacuated all passengers from the vehicle. He initially attempted to control the blaze using the bus's onboard fire suppression system but was forced to retreat when it proved ineffective.
The Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) team was immediately alerted and rushed to the scene. They successfully extinguished the fire, bringing the situation under control.
"Information was immediately passed to the Fire Service, and necessary action was taken. The ARFF team responded and the fire has been extinguished, and the situation is under control," an official statement read.
A senior police official said that the bus was not carrying any passengers or luggage at the time of the incident and that only the driver was on board. This detail is yet to be fully reconciled with the initial report of passenger evacuation.
Authorities have confirmed that there were no injuries reported in the incident. Preliminary investigations point towards a "technical malfunction" as the likely cause of the fire, given the bus's CNG fuel system. A thorough examination of the vehicle will be conducted to determine the exact cause.
Senior airport officials, including the Chief Airport Security Officer (CASO) and Duty Managers for Operations, also responded to the location. Reassuringly, officials confirmed that the fire did not cause any damage to aircraft or other airport facilities.
Operations at the busy Terminal 3 continued normally throughout the incident.