Hazrat Shahjalal Airport fire chaos as travellers stranded and flights suspended
All flights departing and arriving had to be halted at Hazrat Shahjalal Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, today after a massive blaze ripped through part of the terminal
A massive fire has ripped through an international airport forcing all flights to be halted.
Images show fire fighters on the scene tackling huge flames as thick black smoke fills the air at Hazrat Shahjalal Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which began around 2.15pm local time today. The fire reportedly started in a cargo hold near Gate 8 at the airport and has quickly spread.
Emergency services raced to the scene and there are understood to be 36 fire crews now at the airport in the cargo terminal. The chaos has seen flights diverted, cancelled and delayed with details about the cause of the fire not yet revealed.
Flights were due to begin again from 9pm local time with the fire now under control, according to the civil aviation and tourism ministry, who also said in a statement that there would be a “swift and resolute response” if there was sabotage or arson involved.
Officials are at the airport where the cause of the fire is being examined. Passengers have had to wait at the airport with more than 12 flights delayed and at least five flights have had to be diverted to nearby airports.
Images from the airport have shown large crowds anxiously waiting for news with the terminal closed for everyone except for passengers. One traveller Hussain Ali, who came from Jashore and was scheduled to fly on a US-Bangla flight told The Daily Star : "I don't know how I'll manage all these luggage by myself.
"I'm really anxious about the whole thing. Can they put out the fire? Will the flight really take off? How many hours will I have to wait?"
It is just one of several fires recently with two others at a clothes and chemical factories in the past few days which has heightened concern over possible arson.
"The interim government is aware of public concern regarding some major fires in several locations across the country," read a statement from authorities, reported The Business Standard. "We wish to assure all citizens that the security services are investigating each incident thoroughly and protecting lives and property with utmost vigilance."
The statement further reads: "Any credible evidence of sabotage or arson will be met with a swift and resolute response." And it added: "Let us be clear: if these fires prove to be acts of sabotage, and their aim is to sow panic and division, they'll succeed only if we allow fear to overtake our reason and our resolve."