NEW DELHI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- An IndiGo airliner launched an emergency evacuation of passengers after a power bank on board caught fire at an airport in northwestern India's Chandigarh on Tuesday afternoon, local media reported.
The incident took place when IndiGo flight 6E 108 from India's Hyderabad was stationary after landing at the airport, read an official statement from IndiGo Airlines. It noted that the incident involved "a customer's personal electronic equipment catching fire."
Following the incident, an immediate evacuation was carried out, and all the relevant authorities were informed. All passengers were safely moved to the terminal and were attended to by the team to ensure their well-being, said IndiGo, adding that the aircraft will undergo necessary checks before resuming operations.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of India, in a separate statement, said a power bank kept in a seat pocket by a passenger on seat 39C caught fire.
The cabin crew used two fire extinguishers to put out the fire, and deployed all six slides to evacuate passengers, according to the DGCA. It further stated that no passenger injury has been reported.
According to the latest regulations issued by the DGCA in 2026, power banks are allowed on flights only in carry-on luggage. Passengers are not allowed to use power banks on flights for charging phones and other devices, and such items are not to be stored in overhead compartments. ■