A FIRE broke out at the International Arrivals section of Cape Town International Airport on Tuesday, triggering an emergency evacuation of the affected area.
A source confirmed to the Weekend Argus that the blaze started shortly before midday.
Passengers described scenes of confusion as the incident unfolded. One woman, who was waiting to board her flight at the time, said chaos erupted when the power at the main terminal went out.
Passengers were left without clear direction
Image: Reddit
According to the passenger the screens went black, the lights went out, at times they also lost signal.
She said the outage occurred while some people were still at check-in counters. The passenger said some check-in counters and security operations were still up and running, creating uncertainty among travellers as officials began clearing sections of the terminal.
"No-one was giving us clear direction, the staff themselves looked lost."
Emergency protocols were activated and passengers were evacuated from the affected area as airport authorities responded to the situation.
There are currently no reports of injuries.
Police spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala said that Bishop Lavis Police has no record of the incident and said that enquiries be forwarded to the fire department.
Fire and Rescue advised that enquiries be forwarded to ACSA.
Airport Company SA, confirmed later in the day that a fire occurred on the landside of the airport.
ACSA spokesperson Ofentse Dijoe said: "Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) confirms that a fire occurred on the landside of the airport. The fire has been extinguished, and all passengers, staff, and visitors are safe.
"Passenger safety remains our highest priority. We understand that this incident may have caused concern, and we urge all passengers and visitors to follow security instructions and proceed to designated places of safety as directed by airport personnel."
Dijoe said the the fire affected network and IT services, including airport Wi-Fi and other essential systems.
"As a precautionary measure, international departures have been temporarily suspended, and incoming international flights are being diverted. International flights that have already landed are being processed. Passengers travelling on domestic departures or arriving on domestic flights are advised to check directly with their airlines and the ACSA Mobile App for the latest flight information."
Fire and Rescue teams at the Cape Town International Airport
Image: Facebook
The incident comes a day after the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed that six people were injured in a fire at Terminal 1 of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
According to FAAN, that fire prompted an emergency response and the temporary closure of the Lagos airfield, which has since reopened.
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