Chaos and panic as fire strikes Cape Town International Airport

A FIRE broke out at the International Arrivals section of Cape Town International Airport on Tuesday, triggering chaos, panic and an emergency evacuation.

The blaze started shortly before midday.

Mense in the terminal described scenes of confusion as the incident unfolded. 

One vrou, 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.

According to the passenger, who chose to remain anonymous, the screens went black, the lights went out, and at times they also lost Wi-Fi signal.

She said the outage occurred while some mense were still at check-in counters. 

The passenger said some check-in counters and security operations were still up, creating uncertainty among travellers as officials began clearing sections of the terminal.

She said: “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 had no record of the incident and said that enquiries should be forwarded to the fire department.

Fire and Rescue advised that enquiries be forwarded to Airport Company SA (Acsa). 

Acsa confirmed 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 that the fire affected network and IT services, including airport Wi-Fi and other essential systems.

Dijoe added: “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.”