An emergency evacuation was launched at Chandigarh Airport on Tuesday after the power bank of a passenger caught on fire. As per officials, the incident occurred on an IndiGo flight from Hyderabad to Chandigarh.
“On 5 May 2026, 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,” IndiGo Airlines confirmed in a statement to the press.
“In the interest of safety, an immediate evacuation was carried out and all the 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,” the airline added further.
Based on visuals shared by fellow passengers on the social media platform X, passengers on the flight were seen evacuating on the tarmac.
Passengers further stated that due to the fire, the cabin of the flight filled with smoke. Around five passengers are suspected to be injured and have been taken to the hospital.
What did DGCA say about the incident?
{{/usCountry}}Passengers further stated that due to the fire, the cabin of the flight filled with smoke. Around five passengers are suspected to be injured and have been taken to the hospital.
What did DGCA say about the incident?
{{/usCountry}}As per the statement accessed by HT, the DGCA confirmed that the fire was caused by a power bank of the passenger.
“After landing during taxi into bay at Chandigarh, a Power Bank kept in pouch in seat pocket by a passenger seated on 39C caught fire,” read the statement.
“Cabin Crew used two fire extinguisher bottles to extinguish the fire. Then cabin crew deployed all six slides to evacuate passengers. No passenger injury has been reported,” the DGCA added further.
DGCA's new rules on power banks on flights
Power banks are allowed on flights only in carry-on luggage. Based on new rules issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in 2026, passengers are not allowed to use power banks on flights for charging phones and other devices.
The DGCA rules further added that items such as power banks and spare batteries cannot be stored in overhead compartments on flights, as fires are harder to detect and control in such locations.