CHANDIGARH: Nearly 198 passengers and six crew members were evacuated from a Hyderabad–Chandigarh IndiGo flight at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport on Tuesday afternoon after a power bank in a passenger’s bag caught fire and filled the cabin with smoke.
The incident occurred on flight 6E 108 after landing, when the aircraft was stationary on the tarmac. A passenger’s power bank reportedly emitted smoke and flames.
Crew members used a fire extinguisher after a passenger seated on 39C reported the fire. Smoke spread through the cabin after the aircraft reached Bay 1. The crew declared an emergency, opened the emergency exit, and evacuated passengers using slides. A woman passenger dislocated her ankle during the evacuation. Around five passengers are suspected to have been injured and were taken to hospital.
An Air Force fire tender was rushed to the spot but was not used. Passengers were seen exiting the aircraft onto the tarmac, with videos showing them moving away quickly as smoke filled the cabin.
An airport official said a detailed report has been sought from the airline.
In a statement, the airline said, “ On May 5, while IndiGo flight 6E 108 from Hyderabad to Chandigarh was stationary after landing, an incident involving a customer's personal electronic equipment catching fire was reported. In the interest of safety, an immediate evacuation was carried out and all relevant authorities were immediately informed. All customers have been safely moved to the terminal and are being attended to by the team to ensure their well-being. The aircraft will undergo necessary checks before resuming operations. At IndiGo, the safety of our customers and crew remains our top priority.”
According to 2026 rules issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, power banks are not allowed to be used on flights for charging devices and must be carried in hand luggage. They cannot be stored in overhead compartments as fires are harder to detect and control in such areas.