A major fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday at the Kempegowda International Airport premises in Bengaluru, triggering panic among passengers and staff. Fortunately, there was no loss of life or major injuries as a result of this mishap. The incident occurred at 6 am on Wednesday morning.
Airport officials confirmed that there was no disruption to flight operations because of the fire.
A spokesperson for Bangalore International Airport Limited (the company which runs the airport) said, "There was a fire-related incident at a food and beverage outlet, away from the terminal, at the Bengaluru airport campus in the early hours of Wednesday, May 29. Trained personnel on the scene extinguished the fire using fire fighting equipment.”
“No one was injured in the incident and it had no impact on airport operations. An in-depth fire-safety audit is being carried out. The affected area has been cordoned off and temporarily closed,” they added.
Officials refused to divulge further details on the cause or effect of the fire.
In a video uploaded by a YouTube user, a section of the airport can be seen in flames with smoke billowing into the air. Security staff can be seen grappling with the fire and attempting to douse the blaze with in-situ water hoses. The blaze was finally put out in the end, the video shows.
The Kempegowda international airport in Bengaluru was built as a private-public partnership. Private promoters hold 74% (Fairfax 48% and Siemens Projects Ventures 26%) stake in BIAL, while the government holds the remaining 26% – through Karnataka State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited – 13%, Airport Authority of India – 13%.
Kempegowda International Airport is currently the busiest airport in south India and the third largest in the country.
Meanwhile, the airport has announced that its domestic and international lounges will be partially shut temporarily from the start of June for renovation purposes.
Currently, the airport has four lounges – two at International Security Hold Area (SHA) and two at Domestic SHA. The refurbishment project would be executed in two phases spanning 18-20 months. Starting June 1, 2019, parts of the domestic and international lounges and transit hotel would be closed. The new lounge operator – a JV between Gate Group and Travel and Food Service (TFS), India – will take over operations.