A major electrical fire at Cape Town International Airport has resulted in the temporary suspension of international departures. (Photo: Facebook / @Suburban Control Centre Post) Operations at Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) were disrupted on Tuesday following a fire on the landside of the terminal. While the blaze has been extinguished and all passengers and staff are reported to be safe, the incident caused significant infrastructural and operational fallout.
Visual evidence from the scene (courtesy of x.com user @Darth_Martys) points to a major electrical fire, with images and video showing thick bundles of heavy cabling engulfed in flames within an exterior structural column, with fire and smoke venting from the top of the conduit.
Acsa media statement:
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.
The fire affected network and IT services, including airport WiFi and other essential systems.
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.
Further updates will be provided as verified information becomes available. We thank our passengers and stakeholders for their patience and cooperation.
A later post indicated that emergency response teams had been deployed to the site, blanketing the nearby and adjacent areas with fire-suppressant foam.
What this means for you
✈️International departures have resumed, but you are advised to expect delays and schedule adjustments.
✈️Some incoming international flights were diverted. You are advised to confirm arrival statuses directly with the airlines.
✈️Domestic flights - both arrivals and departures experienced minor disruptions due to system outages. Delays may persist as operations stabilise.
The Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) confirmed that the fire directly compromised the airport’s network and IT infrastructure, taking down WiFi and other essential systems. DM