Several firefighters were injured while extinguishing a fire at Kuwait airport on Saturday, apparently started by a short circuit in a kitchen, the Kuwait news agency reported.
"A major fire broke out Saturday at Kuwait international airport totally destroying the number five departure gate," the report said. All flights were subsequently suspended. "Several firemen were slightly injured by breaking glass as they fought the disaster which was quickly brought under control," Kuwait deputy fire chief Jassem Al-Mansouri was quoted as saying.
The exact number of injured was not released. The official said the injured men received first aid at the scene. "No passenger or airport employee was injured in the fire," he added.
The blaze began at 3:30 p.m. (local time) and smoke spread throughout the airport building through the air conditioning system, the KUNA report said. Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, head of Kuwait civil aviation, was quoted by KUNA as saying, "A short circuit in the kitchen of the first class wing appears to have been the source of the fire according to first results of an investigation."
Meanwhile, Deputy fire chief Mansouri said the fire had first started in a first class area then spread to other departure areas. "The damaged departure areas were entirely isolated and the airport was completely evacuated," Colonel Mansouri added.
Arrivals and departures were temporarily halted, however normal traffic resumed later, KUNA quoted the civil aviation department as saying. As firefighters fought the blaze, arrivals expected at Kuwait were diverted to other destinations, said Sheikh Jaber. The control tower and navigational facilities had not been affected, he conveyed. (Albawaba.com)
