'60 vehicles gutted at Aero India show beyond recognition'

Sixty of the 277 vehicles gutted in a fire at the Aero India event at the Yelahanka Air Force station on the penultimate day of the air show on February 23 were beyond recognition, Home Minister M B Patil said Tuesday.

The Minister said he had askedofficials to clear the insurance settlement amount to those affected at the earliest, as a measure of some relief to them.

He said a total of 277 vehicles were affected in the incident, of which 251 were completely burnt and 26, partially burnt.

"Out of the 251 completely burnt, 60 are beyond recognition, with no engine or chassis number," Patil said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the government wanted the settlement to be paid at the earliest.

"It was an unfortunate incident. At least if we settle their insurance amount, there will be some kind of relief. We will have to do this as our duty.

Patil said he would be reviewing the insurance settlement and the 251 completely gutted vehicles would get 100 per cent insurance.

The government would look into it case by case and try to provide assistance to cab drivers, if a cab drivers if any among affected had no insurance, on humanitarian grounds, as their life will be dependent on those vehicles.

A major fire broke out at the parking area of the Aero India event at Yelahanka Air Force station on the penultimate day of the air show on February 23, gutting about 277 vehicles, mostly cars.

No casualties were reported in the incident and the parking area was far away from the air force station.

A help desk was set up by the state government under DCP (Law and Order) to help those who had lost their vehicles in the fire to get certificates for facilitating insurance claim.

"Investigation into the incident is being conducted by the Defence Ministry, as it took place under their limits," Patil said.

A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the fire.

Officials had earlier said the probable cause of the mishap was fire from an overheated silencer of one of the parked cars, which,accentuated by strong winds,spread quickly.

Patil said the Oriental Insurance Company had settled insurance amounts of 10 of the 11 affected vehicles that were insured with them and handed over cheques to some vehicle owners.