Flight With Over 180 Passengers Makes Emergency Landing as Power Bank Fire Triggers Midair Panic

A flight carrying more than 180 passengers was diverted to Hyderabad after a device identified in news accounts as a power bank caught fire in an overhead luggage bin. IndiGo flight 6E 6115 was travelling from Delhi to Chennai on Sunday, 11 October 2026.

Passengers tried to contain the flames with bags and pieces of cloth as cabin crew responded with firefighting equipment. The Airbus A321 landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, and no injuries were reported.

Power Bank Fire Draws Passengers From Their Seats

Videos shared online showed smoke emerging from the overhead compartment and flames burning inside it, with passengers standing and reaching towards the affected bin. One traveller can be seen alerting the cabin crew by shouting 'Fire!', while another passenger is heard urging others to remain calm.

The footage shows panic among some passengers as they tried to put out the flames before the crew arrived. It does not show how the fire started or what the device was doing when it ignited.

IndiGo said smoke had been detected from a customer's personal electronic device and that the crew brought the situation under control. Its statement did not specifically identify the device as a power bank, making that description distinct from the airline's account.

IndiGo Confirms Diversion and Safe Landing

'The cabin crew responded promptly and the situation was brought under control,' IndiGo said in a statement. 'In line with established protocols, the pilots diverted the flight and landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad.'

According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft departed Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi at 1.30pm local time. It was scheduled to reach Chennai at 4pm but landed in Hyderabad at 3.59pm.

The airline also confirmed that it had arranged an alternate aircraft to continue the journey to Chennai. Its statement addressed both the response aboard the original flight and the arrangements made for passengers after the unplanned landing.

Flight Disruption Requires Replacement Aircraft

The diversion meant passengers did not reach Chennai on the original aircraft. IndiGo had to organise a different aircraft to complete the route.

'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,' the airline said.

The available accounts do not establish how long the disruption delayed passengers' arrival in Chennai.

Cause of Device Fire Remains Unclear

The published accounts identify the burning device as a passenger's power bank, but they do not establish its manufacturer, model or condition before the flight. They also do not say whether it was charging another device when the fire began.

The compartment's location and the passengers' response are visible in the footage described in the coverage, but those observations do not explain the cause of ignition. Neither the airline's quoted statement nor the available accounts establish negligence, a defective product or a breach of safety rules.

Reports have not identified who placed the device in the overhead compartment, and there is no finding about responsibility for the fire.

Power Banks and Cabin Rules

Power banks use lithium-ion batteries, a battery type also widely found in smartphones and laptops. The batteries can overheat, which is why power banks are not permitted in checked-in baggage and must be carried in the cabin.

India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, issued an advisory last year asking airlines to prohibit passengers from using power banks to charge devices on board. Reports say that restriction followed several incidents of power banks catching fire on flights.

That background concerns where the devices travel and how they may be used. It does not establish whether any rule was broken on this flight.

Earlier IndiGo Incidents Involved Device Fires

On 5 May 2026, a power bank caught fire on IndiGo flight 6E 108 after it arrived in Chandigarh from Hyderabad, with smoke and flames spreading through the cabin. The incident prompted an emergency evacuation, and people were reported injured and taken to hospital.

A separate fire occurred on 19 October 2025 aboard IndiGo flight 6E 2107 from Delhi to Dimapur while it was taxiing for take-off. IndiGo said the aircraft returned to its bay following a minor fire involving a passenger's personal electronic equipment stored in a seat-back pocket.