Firefighters are trying to extinguish a massive fire that broke out at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, and forced the closure of East Africa’s largest airport.
The fire erupted shortly before dawn on Wednesday, forcing flights to be diverted to other airports.
“There is a serious fire at JKIA (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport), but we are doing everything possible to avert a crisis,” Mutea Iringo, a senior official with the countryâ„¢s interior and national coordination ministry said in a statement.
No reports of casualties have been made yet.
Å“Apart from emergency landings, all flights into and out of JKIA have been cancelled … (the) airport has been shut down,” Iringo added.
According to Kenyaâ„¢s National Disaster Operation Center, the fire is under control in the airportâ„¢s departure areas. However, the blaze is still burning at the arrival terminal.
The center added that all roads surrounding the airport had been closed down.
Reports say that the arrivals and immigration sections have been “totally damaged.”
The ministry added that the firefighters were Å“running dangerously low on water.”
Jomo kenyatta International Airport serves as a regional hub for East Africa, with many long-distance international flights arriving at and departing from the airport.
Two days ago, a number of aircraft were delayed to the airport after the failure of a fuel hydrant needed to refuel planes.
SZH/PR/HMV
Republished from: Press TV