Mock fire-fighting drill held at Pune airport

Though the drill was a routine exercise, it caused a flutter among locals residing in nearby areas seeing movement of fire tenders at the Lohegaon air-base.

A routine mock drill to test fire fighting preparedness was performed at the airport, an Air Force spokesman told PTI, dismissing reports of any disturbance in the flight schedule.

City fire brigade officials, who too were unaware of the exercise, said they had been asked to keep two fire engines ready as stand-by, adding that the grass along the runway had reportedly been burnt.

The Pune airport is part of the Air Force base from where civil flights operate.