A major fire broke out in the parking area of the Aero Show 2019 in Bengaluru in which nearly 300 vehicles have been reported to be destroyed. Officials say the cause of the fire could be a lit cigarette that was disposed on the grass in the open field.
Huge clouds of thick black smoke could be seen rising to the sky near the Yelahanka air base in north Bengaluru, where about a hundred aircraft were parked for the biennial Aero India 2019 event.
Vehicles got fire at parking area of #AiroIndia show at Yalahanka. Fire fighters On the spot.@DGP_FIRE @SunilagarwalI @KarnatakaVarthe pic.twitter.com/5YAk2izsDx
— Karnataka Fire Dept (@KarFireDept) February 23, 2019
Senior police officer MN Reddi said, “Totally about 100 cars burnt in the fire. Fire spread is controlled by creating a gap by removing adjacent cars. Fire under control now. No injuries or any harm to people reported. Likely cause: dry grass fire aided by heavy wind.”
The fire, which started at 11:55 am, was brought under control at around 2 pm and no injuries have been reported.
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A Defence Ministry statement said the parking area is located well away from the venue, on the other side of the highway.
“IAF immediately launched one helicopter for aerial assessment, the helicopter assisted by providing effective directions to fight the fire. The fire was brought under control by deploying more than 12 fire fighting vehicles,” the statement said.
A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of fire, the Defence Ministry added.
The air show was temporarily suspended once the fire spread and no planes took off from the airbase till the fire was completely doused.
Today’s incident comes less than a week after two jets of the Indian Air Force’s Suryakiran Aerobatic Team crashed after a mid-air collision over the air base. One of the three pilots in the crash had died.
The Indian Air Force PRO Anupam Banerjee said, “Aero show will continue as scheduled for the 5th day. People should not pay heed to rumours.”