Kenya’s international airport in flames, travellers left stranded

August 7, 2013 (NAIROBI) – Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) was on Wednesday morning closed after a massive fire gutted the transit area, leaving passengers stranded and flights diverted.

The cause of the early morning fire that destroyed the transit area of the airport is still unknown but Boniface Mwaniki, Kenya’s head of the Kenyan Anti-Terrorism Police Unit ruled out terrorism as cause of the fire.

“We don’t want to speculate, but at this stage we do not think there is any such link”, he told the Reuters news agency.

No casualties were reported as a result of the fire.

Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta visited the airport at 9am on Wednesday, Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper reported.

There were reports of delays in responding to the fire with fire trucks reportedly taking to reach the airport and in some cases trucks run out of water.

The closure of the airport which serves as a key hub for passengers from African countries destined for Europe led to several travellers getting stranded.

In Uganda 35 passengers destined for Kenya aboard an air Uganda flight failed to travel.

Kenyan media reported that the Kenya government had formed a committee to “evaluate the situation and ensure resumption of operations”.

Domestic flights have resumed at the airport after the fire.

(ST)