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Fire at Terminal 1, JKIA/NBO Nairobi, Kenya. Airport shut down.
All flights diverted to Mombasa, Eldoret, and Kisumu Airports. Some PAX still sitting on planes on ground. Fire affected Immigration Areas. This will seriously mess up Kenya for some time.
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Time to round up the usual suspects?
Associated Press Posted on August 7, 2013 at 1:01 AM Updated today at 1:03 AM NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Firefighters are battling a large blaze raging at Kenya's main international airport. The Kenya Airports Authority said Wednesday that the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport has been closed until further notice so that emergency teams can battle the fire. Billowing smoke could be seen from miles (kilometers) away. Associated Press reporters at the scene described the blaze as huge and said it appeared the fire had gutted the international arrivals area, where passengers pass through immigration and retrieve their luggage. Stranded passengers stood on sidewalks outside the airport holding their luggage. Inbound flights have been rerouted to other Kenyan airports. |
that does not look good.
Any knowledge out there if the airport closure is for ALL flights, or are freighters going into NBO, being loaded with flowers and moving ? Any knowledge as to current flights stuck on the ground ? |
Complete shutdown except for emergency flights
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Rife speculation of course......But could it be AL Qaeda again? With all the security alerts of the last week.
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JKI
First of all - I hope no one was hurt. I have absolutely no doubt that the Kenyan authorities and insurance industry will fully compensate everyone affected promptly and efficiently.
But everyone who has ever used JKI has complained about what a grotty, confusing, badly lit, poorly maintained, embarrassment it was, to both Kenya and KQ. If this fire forces KCAA and the airport owners to extract their digits and build a new airport, I for one will be delighted... EXCEPT - that for years and years ahead, it's going to be even worse.... We used to laugh that the domestic departures at Murtala Mohamed in LOS was in a tent. I imagine the ENTIRE NBO airport experience for the next five years (at least) will be under canvas! Looks like I'll be avoiding NBO (and therefore KQ) until they've sorted this out. What a shambles. |
Today is the 15th anv. of the AQ bombings of the US Embassy in Nairobi. Speculate away..
Fire closes Kenya's international airport in Nairobi | Reuters |
"We used to laugh that the domestic departures at Murtala Mohamed in LOS was in a tent."
I can remember when you used a tent at Luton when Court Line introduced Tristars... and LAX had a large inflatable tent for international arrivals for quite a while in the late 70's early '80's Even if they have to build a new terminal at Nairobi it will take years and years - and the graft! |
There is construction ongoing in JKIA of a new terminal 4 for international arrivals and departures which is not affected by the fire. The superstructure is up and almost complete but I imagine the interiors and fittings will still take some time to complete. Tough luck for KQ and the other international operators at JKIA.
The old terminal international arrivals and departures is completely destroyed and I imagine will not be structurally sound for any use and may have to come down. At the moment I understand most KQ aircraft will divert international to Eldoret and Mombasa for a while, and once domestic flights resume out of JKIA then proceed to JKIA as a domestic flight. At the moment JKIA remains closed. |
LX292 and SN453 are on their way to NBO, a bit delayed, but still on their way. ET801 departed a few hours late, but is also on its way there. BA, KL, EK have cancelled their flight.
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2hrs for Fire Department to respond
According to BBC, 2 hours to arrive.....
quite fast actually... |
Standby for CMD to offer aid to rebuild it in order to get a few more "Brownie" points.
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LX292 and SN453 are on their way to NBO LX292 is on its way to DAR |
Hmmm.... lets see if they really fly there.
(NBO) Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Departures Anywho it seems only T1 intl arrivals is completely destroyed, the rest somewhat saved. NOTAMs sound somewhat reasonable: HKJK NAIROBI JOMO KENYATTA INTL A0246/13 - AERODROME OPEN FOR ALL DOMESTIC OPS AND INTERNATIONAL CARGO DEPARTURES. 07 AUG 13:50 2013 UNTIL 08 AUG 12:00 2013 ESTIMATED. CREATED: 07 AUG 13:56 2013 |
According to BBC, 2 hours to arrive..... quite fast actually... One potential motive for the fire could be a recent dispute between Kenyan airport authority officials and owners of duty-free shops at the airport. Some of the shops were forcefully closed down following the expiration of a lease agreement. Witnesses said firefighters arrived late to battle the blaze and appeared hobbled by a lack of equipment. As of last month, Nairobi County’s fire department did not have a single working fire engine, the Daily Nation newspaper reported last month, having auctioned off three engines in an effort to pay a $1,000 repair bail. "It is a disgrace of biblical proportions that the entire Nairobi County does not have a public fire engine in working condition," the paper wrote in an editorial. As government officials debated whether to buy new engines or repair old ones, the editorial scolded, they set aside money “to build mansions for governors, big vehicles for county executives and other needs without a direct benefit to Kenyans.” |
'repair bail'? Lol.
I doubt you can divert fire engines meant to cover operations to put out a fire in terminal? |
"a disgrace of biblical proportions"
I love African newspapers - no namby-pamby wishy washy hand-wringing there!! |
BBC had video of firefighting at the airport. Most of the water hardly getting past the curb. I could have done as well despite my prostate!
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MM Domestic
Murtala M, Lagos, Domestic still was a tent until a few months ago.
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