TIRUCHY: A minor fire was immediately doused just opposite Tiruchy International Airport (TIA) on Friday afternoon. Firefighters who put out the fire has just taken part in a mock drill moments before the incident. No injury or damage was reported.
The airport fire service had organised a mock drill on Friday, regular feature to train airport personnel for a quick response in case of any untoward incident. After the drill, fire and rescue personnel at the airport found themselves sent out to tackle a real fire on barren land opposite the airport.
Officials said a quick response was required as the land is just opposite the runway. Given the location, the dense smoke could have hampered the vision of pilots during takeoff. A special airport fire and emergency response vehicle immediately rushed to the site and personnel put out the fire in 45 minutes.
“The drills are organised regularly. The team is very efficient. After the comprehensive drill today, they proved to be as quick and efficient as they can be,” said an airport official.