The Air India aircraft disaster in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area unfolded into a tragedy of unprecedented intensity when the plane, laden with 125,000 litres of fuel, erupted into flames upon crashing minutes after takeoff. The resulting inferno saw temperatures at the crash site soar to approximately 1,000°C, making rescue efforts by emergency responders extraordinarily challenging and, in many cases, futile.

Emergency personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) arrived at the scene between 2:00 and 2:30 pm, but the extreme heat and widespread debris severely hampered their ability to reach and save victims. Locals managed to pull out a few survivors before official teams arrived, but the overwhelming blaze left little hope for those trapped within the wreckage and adjacent buildings.

A senior fire official described how the explosion of the aircraft’s fuel tank instantly created a firestorm, with temperatures rising so rapidly that even animals and birds in the vicinity could not escape. Rescue workers, equipped with protective gear, struggled to clear smoldering debris and recover bodies amid the chaos. The intensity of the disaster was such that even seasoned emergency responders described it as the worst they had ever encountered.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that the sheer volume of burning fuel left virtually no chance of saving lives, and the identification of victims now hinges on extensive DNA testing. The tragedy has left a profound impact on the community, with hundreds of lives lost and a landscape of devastation in its wak