2 dead,3 hurt in IGI mock drill as fire engine goes off track

The deceased have been identified as Ashok Chandra Verma,senior coordinator,and Nidhish Yadav,27,who was behind the wheels. The incident occurred sometime after 10.30 pm on Friday when they were testing the ultra-modern fire-fighting vehicle Rosenbauer-RB7,airport officials said.

The injured firemen — Naresh Dikshit,Manoj Rajput and Sayeed Ali Mazad — were taken to Indian Spinal Injuries Institute in Vasant Kunj and discharged later.

In a statement on Saturday,DIAL said,“A team of fire service personnel were carrying out a routine exercise around 10.30 pm on the new runway (29-11)… the fire tender skidded and fell into a stormwater drain.” A senior officer said police were informed at 11.30 pm. The officer said light on the runway might have confused the driver and he lost control.

Spoke with father hour before

A C Verma’s elder son Rajat,21,said he had spoken with his father just about an hour before the accident took place. “He has been with the Delhi airport since 1977 — he was previously employed with the Airport Authority of India,” Rajat,waiting to collect his father’s body at Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday afternoon,said.

Rajat said Verma joined DIAL with over two decades’ experience. “He had an impeccable safety record as supervisor and instructor of such drills,” the youth said. The Vermas live in H-block,Mahipalpur.

DIAL officials said Verma was one of their best-trained people,and had recently received advanced training in fire-fighting in Malaysia. DIAL spokesperson Arun Arora said,“A C Verma had more than two decades of experience; Nidhish Yadav was scheduled to go for a training session to Malaysia soon.”

A native of Uttar Pradesh,Yadav,27,held a Masters degree in Geography and underwent fire services training in Kolkata.

His father Ram Das Yadav,64,arrived last night from their village — Nangla Gulabi in Hathras,UP. “No DIAL official has contacted us yet,” he said,waiting outside the mortuary in Safdarjung Hospital. Yadav senior said his son got married two years ago and lived in Palam with his wife Rinki and son Aryan,1.

Internal inquiry launched

DIAL officials said an internal inquiry has been marked into the incident. “The deceased and the injured were employees of DIAL,and the company will extend all possible help to their families,” a senior DIAL official said. “The authorities are examining the cause of the accident.”

A case of causing death due to negligence has been registered at the IGI Airport police station. “We are in touch with experts to know the cause of the accident,” a police officer said. “It will help us fix responsibility to name someone in the FIR.”

DIAL had bought the fire tender as part of its existing fleet of Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) Vehicles. Manufactured by Rosenbauer International AG of Austria,one vehicle costs around Rs 6 crore.