At least one person died and six others were injured after a portion of the roof at of New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) collapsed on Friday, at dawn.
All departures from Terminal 1 of India’s busiest airport are temporarily suspended and check-in counters are closed as a safety measure.
Huge pillars crashed on cars, including taxis, amid heavy rains. Delhi Fire Services were alerted at around 5.30 am. Besides the roof sheet, the support beams also collapsed, damaging the cars parked in the pick-up and drop area of the terminal.
“At around 5 a.m., due to heavy rains, the shed outside Terminal 1 of IGIA (domestic airport), spanning from Departure Gate No. 1 to Gate No. 2, collapsed, in which around 4 vehicles have been damaged and around 6 persons have been injured and one person has died. All injured persons are stable,” DCP (IGI) Usha Rangnani told the media.
One person was trapped under the collapsed roof, reported PTI, citing fire department officials. All the injured were rescued and taken to the hospital.
Delhi has been pounded by incessant rains; several areas of the capital were left waterlogged. The total rainfall till 0830 hrs IST was recorded at 153.7 mm over Safdarjung and 93 mm over Palam airport.
“Due to heavy rain since early this morning, a portion of the canopy at the old Departure forecourt of Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1 collapsed around 5 am. There are injuries reported, and emergency personnel are working to provide all necessary assistance and medical aid to those affected,” a Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) spokesperson said.
The Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjar announced on X to that he was personally monitoring the incident. “First responders are working at site. Also advised the airlines to assist all affected passengers at T1. The injured have been evacuated to hospital. Rescue operations are still ongoing,” he wrote.
(Picture Courtesy: PTI)
