20130420 India Catering vehicle catches fire, triggers panic at airport
India Apr 19 2013 “Automobile & Railway”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Catering vehicle catches fire, triggers panic at airport
Updated: 2013-04-21-04:36
CHENNAI: A catering vehicle, which was loading food on a Chennai-Hyderabad Air India flight, caught fire and caused a flutter at the city airport late on Saturday evening. Nobody was inhured in the accident.
The incident took place at 5.15pm when the aircraft, which had arrived from Male, was being readied for its departure to Hyderabad at bay 29. The vehicle belonging to a flight kitchen had completed loading food through the front door of the aircraft and was proceeding to the rear of the plane when smoke started coming from its engine. A fire alarm was triggered and airport fire service was informed. Two crash tenders at the airport rushed to the spot and put out the fire.
The incident brought ground handling operations to a halt for a few minutes. Sources said that staff of the flight kitchen used handheld fire extinguishers and put out the fire before crash tenders reached. Fire personnel said thick smoke billowing from the vehicle.
“There was no damage to the flight which left as per schedule at 5.55pm. Passengers were not inside as check had not begun. Check in was about to start when smoke was spotted on the vehicle. Other ground support activities were being carried out around the flight,” said an Air India official. The aircraft was inspected thoroughly and was certified safe for flight after the accident.
“It was not a major fire but we took all precautions as per the safety procedure,” said a senior official of Airports Authority of India (AAI). The time of the accident is one of the busiest at the airport when several departures and arrivals take place.
Though it was only a minor fire, it triggered an alarm among airport’s operations staff who took steps to prevent it from damaging the aircraft.
Websource:The Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Catering-vehicle-catches-fire-triggers-panic-at-airport/articleshow/19657457.cms
Date:2013-04-21
Country:India