Aviation regulator DGCA will review the recent incident of a power bank catching fire onboard a domestic IndiGo flight, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Saturday.
The fire, which broke out while the aircraft was taxiing at Delhi airport last week, was promptly extinguished by the cabin crew, ensuring the safety of all passengers and crew.
Responding to a query from PTI, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu confirmed that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) would be looking into the matter.
“The DGCA is going to take care. They are going to review (the incident)...,” Naidu said on the sidelines of an event in the national capital.
The incident occurred on October 19, when a passenger’s power bank caught fire on board flight 6E 2107, operating from Delhi to Dimapur, Nagaland.
IndiGo said the aircraft returned to the bay due to a “minor fire triggered by a passenger's personal electronic equipment stored in the seat-back pocket.”
“The crew managed the situation quickly by diligently following the standard operating procedure, and the incident was controlled within seconds,” IndiGo said in a statement.
The airline added that no injuries were reported and that all passengers and crew were safe.
IndiGo further stated that relevant authorities were informed in line with protocol and that, after necessary checks, the aircraft was cleared for operations.
“We thank our valued customers for remaining calm and cooperative during this incident. Our teams made all possible efforts to minimise inconvenience to passengers, including offering them refreshments,” the airline said.
There are strict regulations governing the carriage of electronic items, especially those containing lithium batteries, on aircraft.
Last week, a similar incident was reported when a lithium battery kept in the overhead compartment of an Air China aircraft caught fire while the plane was operating from Hangzhou to Seoul, according to reports.