Video: Fire at airshow in India destroys hundreds of cars
The most likely cause was a “dry grass fire aided by heavy winds”
New Delhi: A fire at an airshow in India destroyed three hundred cars on Saturday, a senior fire official said, the latest accident to mar the government-run event.
The most likely cause was a “dry grass fire aided by heavy winds”, said M.N. Reddi, Director General of Police for Fire and Emergency Services, in the southern city of Bengaluru where the show is taking place. There were no reports of casualties, he added in a tweet.
Footage from Reuters partner ANI showed rows of burnt-out cars and huge flames and plumes of black smoke.
The fire, which began at around 12 noon, quickly burnt down the vehicles parked by visitors and public attending the show at the Indian Air Force base in the northern outskirts of the city.
Thick black smoke was billowing in the sky soon after the air display of aircraft which began at 10am came to end.
The fire personnel controlled the blaze by creating a gap by removing adjacent cars, Reddi said.
“In all, 300 cars were burnt. Fire is fully extinguished now,” Reddi said in a tweet later.
The Aero India show, run by the country’s defence ministry, aims to become one of the world’s premier aerospace events, but has been troubled by accidents this year.
On Tuesday, two Indian Air Force planes collided in mid-air while rehearsing an aerobatic show, killing one pilot and injuring two others.
A spokesman for India’s defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment.