No loud noise, chaos when iron rods fell on cars: Eyewitnesses at Delhi airport Terminal 1

PTI

New Delhi, June 28

There was no loud noise of anything breaking when the rods of a portion of a roof collapsed at the Delhi airport’s Terminal 1 (T1), Krishna Kumar, a cab driver who was at the site of the incident, said on Friday. 

Kumar said that after the rods fell on the cars parked at the site, people became aware of the incident and chaos ensued with them shouting for help. 

Amid heavy rainfall in Delhi on Friday, a canopy at the T1 departure area collapsed around 5 am, injuring six and killing one whose identity is yet to be ascertained. Besides the roof sheet, support beams collapsed, damaging the cars parked in the pick-up and drop area of the terminal. 

There were fewer people and less traffic when the incident took place, said Sashi, another cab driver who was at the site.

Several CRPF personnel on duty promptly alerted the local police deployed at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here and the fire department, officials said. 

“As the beams were very heavy, we asked the fire department to send earthmovers immediately. Fire tenders and their officials also reached the site at around 5.30 am with earthmover machines,” said police personnel who was on duty at the time of incident.

DCP (IGI) Usha Rangnani said the area where the roof collapsed has been cordoned off and teams have been deployed to ensure that no one stands near the incident site.

“Different teams of the police and government will visit this site for investigation. We have cordoned off the area for the purpose. Our police personnel, along with security forces and DFS, had immediately started the rescue operation,” the DCP said.

Currently, all elevator services have been suspended and passengers have been advised to use staircases, DCP Rangnani said.

Kaushal, a SpiceJet crew member, said, “It was in nobody’s hands. It is the culture here in our airline to help the passengers. We consider passengers as our families. They are always our priority. Our staff helped them.”

Police said that the injured people were initially taken to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, from where they were referred to Safdarjung Hospital here.

In a post on X, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu confirmed that the injured have been shifted to hospital.

“Personally monitoring the roof collapse incident at T1 of the Delhi airport. 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 going on,” he said in the post. 

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