A disaster was narrowly averted on Sunday when a Saudi Airlines aircraft carrying 250 Hajj pilgrims caught fire shortly after landing at Lucknow’s Amausi Airport. The fire, which began in the aircraft’s left wheel, caused sparks and smoke to billow out during taxiing on the runway, alarming passengers and crew.
The aircraft, Flight SV 3112, had safely landed at 6:30 AM after departing Jeddah at 11:30 PM on Saturday. While taxiing on the runway, sparks and thick smoke emerged from the left wheel, prompting the pilot to immediately notify Air Traffic Control (ATC) of the issue.
Emergency fire brigade teams responded swiftly to the scene, managing to extinguish the flames after about 20 minutes of coordinated efforts. Fortunately, all 250 passengers on board, who were on their way to perform Hajj, were safely evacuated from the aircraft without injury.
Airport officials believe the fire may have been caused by a technical fault in the wheel assembly of the aircraft, and a full investigation is underway to confirm the cause and prevent future incidents. Despite the initial panic, the quick actions of the pilot and emergency responders ensured that the situation was handled efficiently, averting a potential tragedy.
