A fire broke out at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport on Thursday morning, destroying the immigration counters and bringing flight operations to a stop.
The fire was controlled later, but smoke lingered, delaying the resumption of normal activities. Passengers were kept outside until the area was cleared.
Because of the fire, there was a rush in the parking area as people came to pick up or drop off passengers.
Initial investigations suggest a short circuit caused the fire at the immigration counters, spreading quickly through the airport. Passengers panicked, leading to the evacuation of the entire airport.
The incident happened around 5:45 am, disrupting flights and causing chaos among passengers.
The Airport Security Force (ASF) acted first, trying to contain the fire, with firefighters from the Civil Aviation Authority also joining in. Despite their efforts, the immigration system was destroyed, forcing a halt in flight operations.
Officials estimated it would take at least three hours to fix the system.
The first Hajj flight from PIA was scheduled for 8:30 am, but passengers were evacuated for safety. A woman and child fell ill from the smoke and were taken to a hospital.
International flights to Lahore were redirected to other airports, causing significant disruptions. Some flights from Dubai were diverted to Islamabad, and manual immigration processes were used.
Several international flights were delayed due to the fire.
International flight operations at Lahore Airport were suspended for five hours initially, later extended to 10 pm for system updates.
Flights between Karachi and Lahore also faced delays due to the fire.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway, with a preliminary report submitted to Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif. Civil aviation officials have been dispatched to Lahore airport for further assessment.
Opinion: It’s unfortunate to see such a significant disruption at Lahore Airport due to the fire incident. The safety of passengers and staff should always be the top priority in such situations. Authorities must ensure thorough investigations to prevent similar incidents in the future and to restore normal operations promptly.
