Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) suddenly turned into a cacophony of screams
The quiet of the afternoon at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) suddenly turned into a cacophony of screams yesterday.
A passenger bus parked just metres away from an Air India plane burst into flames.
Smoke billowed, sirens blared, and panic ensued. Fortunately, the bus was empty, with only the driver inside, who escaped unhurt. However, if there had been passengers, the situation could have been catastrophic.
This CNG bus, operated by AISATS (Air India SATS), was parked on the airside near Bay 32 when a suspected short circuit suddenly occurred.
The fire brigade brought it under control within 2-3 minutes, but as the video went viral, social media was abuzz with questions: ‘Airport safety failed? Around 1 pm yesterday.
A CNG passenger shuttle bus of AISATS (which carries passengers to the plane) parked at Bay 32 in the airside area of Terminal 3. Suddenly, a spark from the engine and the bus burst into flames.
The viral video clearly shows: A bus burning 10-15 meters away from the Air India aircraft, black smoke billowing into the sky. Screams echoed, CISF personnel rushed to the scene, and passengers panicked. But the bus was empty, with no passengers on board.
The driver immediately jumped out and saved his life. DCP IGI Vichitra Veer said, “PCR call came in, fire engine, police, CISF and airport staff on site within 2 minutes. Fire extinguished within 3 minutes.” AISATS—a joint venture between Air India and SATS—handles ground operations. This bus would ferry passengers from the terminal to the plane. But during the afternoon peak hours, if there were passengers, the scenario would be like a horror movie.
DCP Veer said, “Only the driver was on the bus, no luggage or passengers. There were no injuries. The vehicle will be inspected to determine the cause.” The airport authority (DIAL) said, “There is no impact on operations, and flights are regular.”
This incident brought back memories of previous accidents: the T 1 roof collapse in June 2024 – one dead, six injured. Now, this blaze at T 3 – safety in question. The accident response system is perfect.
The IGI Airport police station was called, and three fire engines were rushed to the scene. The CISF secured the area and kept passengers away. Air India said an investigation was underway. Passengers are safe. IGI is the world’s ninth busiest airport, handling 79 million passengers annually.
This incident is a call for a safety review. Passengers alert: ‘Be careful at T3.’
