Power bank explodes on IndiGo flight, passenger suffers ankle fracture during evacuation at Chandigarh airport

After the aircraft reached Bay No. 1, the crew declared an emergency around 3.35 pm and opened the emergency exits. Passengers were evacuated using inflatable slides. The situation briefly turned chaotic during the evacuation.

A passenger seated on 25F, Richa Acharya, suffered an ankle injury after slipping while descending the slide amid the rush. In total, five people, including two children, sustained minor injuries.

An Indian Air Force fire tender reached the spot around 3.38 pm, but by then the fire had been fully contained, and no further intervention was required.

Following the incident, crew member Abhishek escorted the injured to a private hospital in Zirakpur, where they were given first aid.

Talking with Indian Express Saurav Acharya, a banker, who was travelling with his family from Goa to Hyderabad to Mohali, said his wife Richa Acharya, an employee with the Punjab Health Systems Corporation, sustained multiple fractures in her leg during the evacuation. “She slipped while coming down the emergency slide in the chaos. She is undergoing treatment and is being prepared for surgery at another hospital in Mohali,”he said, adding that the crew “took proper care of us and ensured all assistance till hospitalisation.”

In an official statement, IndiGo confirmed the incident, stating that the aircraft was stationary after landing when a passenger’s personal electronic device caught fire.

“In the interest of safety, an immediate evacuation was carried out and all relevant authorities were informed. All customers were safely escorted to the terminal and are being attended to,”the airline spokesperson said.

The airline added that the aircraft will undergo a thorough inspection before being cleared for further operations, reiterating that passenger and crew safety remains its top priority.

Attempts to contact Chandigarh International Airport Limited (CHIAL) manages the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, located in Mohali for comment did not elicit an immediate response. Officials said a statement would be issued after a detailed inquiry.