How many flights were affected by Lahore airport blaze?
Pakistan
Aviation Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif visits the airport terminal
- Authorities say the immigration system has been promptly restored
- Hajj operation resumes at the Lahore airport
LAHORE (Dunya News) – The Integrated Baggage Management System (IBMS) at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore was restored on Friday - a day after a fire broke out in the immigration hall.
After restoration of the system, two international flights landed at the Allama Iqbal International Airport. According to the CAA, a short-circuit in the special immigration area damaged the immigration system. It took more than two hours to control the fire.
Only one Air Blue Hajj flight was able to leave the airport in the meanwhile. The other three flights were manually handled and took off the runway.
According to the CAA, as many as 35 domestic and international flights from Lahore faced delay or cancellation due to smoke at the airport immigration counter after the fire incident. Passengers hailing from other cities were shifted to nearby hotels.
Meanwhile, Federal Aviation Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif visited the terminal building of Lahore airport. He inspected the fire-affected area. The minister was also briefed on the restoration of domestic operations.
How blaze broke out
The fire at the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA's) immigration hall on Thursday damaged immigiration system and disrupted flight operations.
The blaze suddently broke out in the immigration hall in the wee hours of Thursday due to a short-circuit and spread to entire hall. Panic gripped the people and there was a stampede-like situation. The panic-striken passengers at the airport were seen running helter-skelter to save their lives.
Authorities, however, had the immigration hall of the airport vacated.
The smoke filled the area around immigration hall and created hardships for public. According to initial reports, the blaze destroyed the immigration system at the airport.
Many flights were diverted to other destinations due to damage to the immigration system of the airport. A Sri Lankan flight was diverted and another flight which was to depart for Saudi Arabia was halted.
As a matter of co-incidence, the fire incident took place on the first day of flight operations. The Hajj flights resumed operations after the authorities have a go-ahead.
