Late Sunday evening, a fire broke out at Vincenzo Bellini airport in Catania (on the Italian island of Sicily). Due to the heavy smoke development, the airport had to be evacuated. The fire service was deployed to extinguish the flames. Passengers and airport staff had to evacuate the terminals. Panic ensued. For the time being, all flights have been canceled until Wednesday afternoon.
Panic broke out among departing passengers in the lower part of the airport as the smoke was so thick it was hard to see as security personnel shouted “Everyone out”.
Passengers screamed and cried
Due to the cloud that entered the terminal, many passengers fled outside. In the collective stuffiness, among the smoke and in the dark – the lights went out – there were also screaming and crying passengers. The security personnel pushed the passengers out with the words “Out, everyone out!”
Mild smoke poisoning
No serious injuries have been reported, according to the Italian news agency ANSA. Some passengers had inhaled light smoke. “We thank the fire department, state authorities, first responders and the airport community for their prompt action,” the airport’s Twitter account said.
According to the company SAC, which manages the airport’s ground services, flight operations have been suspended until Wednesday afternoon. It was initially believed that it could resume Monday morning. But firefighters are still on duty in the smoke-filled terminal to complete the final cleanup and determine the cause of the blaze. The flights have since been diverted to other airports on the island.
Flights from Vienna have also been cancelled
Catania Vincenzo Bellini Airport is the fifth busiest airport in Italy and the first in Italy for domestic traffic. The airport is very busy, especially in summer. Among other things, a connection from Vienna by Ryanair to Catania on Monday morning and another by Austrian Airlines in the morning have already been canceled according to the Vienna Airport website.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
