Power bank fire forces IndiGo flight from Delhi to divert to Hyderabad

An IndiGo Airlines flight from Delhi to Chennai was diverted to Hyderabad on Sunday (Oct 11) after a fire broke out in an overhead luggage compartment.

Flight 6E6115, an Airbus A321-251N, departed Delhi at 1.30pm (4pm Singapore time) and was scheduled to arrive at its destination in Chennai at 4pm.

Videos of the incident posted on social media show an orange glow emanating from one of the overhead compartments.

Several passengers were seen helping to remove items, while another appeared to use a coat or jacket to pat down the flames. 

Data from the Aviation Safety Network shows that the flight was operating at about 35,000ft when a passenger's power bank suffered a thermal runaway event.

A thermal runaway occurs when an internal or external trigger causes an uncontrolled, self-sustaining rise in temperature and pressure within a lithium-ion battery, potentially resulting in smoke, fire or an explosion.

According to data from flight tracking platform FlightRadar24, the flight began descending towards Hyderabad for its diversion at about 2.53pm. 

The aircraft landed safely in Hyderabad at about 3.15pm.

In a media statement issued after the incident, the airline said that after smoke was detected from a customer's "personal electronic device", cabin crew responded promptly according to protocol and brought the situation under control.

"In line with established protocols, the pilots diverted the flight and landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad."

The airline added that an alternate aircraft was arranged for passengers to continue the journey to Chennai.

"We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers due to this unforeseen situation and are making all efforts to minimise it, including offering refreshments and sharing timely updates. 

"At IndiGo, the safety of our customers and crew remains our top priority," the airline said.

According to IndiGo's website, power banks with a capacity of up to 160Wh may be carried in the cabin but are not permitted in checked baggage.

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