Major fire at Mumbai airport

Major fire at Mumbai airport
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

MUMBAI, JANUARY 17: A major fire broke out at the basement car park area of the domestic airport terminal of Chhatrapati Shivaji airport at Santacruz (East) late on Monday.

According to Fire Brigade sources, the fire broke out at around 10.10 pm and spread to other sections of the car park. Eight fire engines and five jumbo tankers were rushed to fight the blaze and prevent it from spreading further. Two ambulances were on standby. The fire broke out at about 50 metres away from the terminal 1-A building from where the Indian Airlines operates its flights, a senior police official said. The office of a private airlines is also located at the basement area, sources said.

It is not clear if anyone was trapped in the debris of burning cars though Fire Brigade officials said there were no casualties. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

Traffic near the airport was badly affected while fire fighting operations were underway.

Eyewitnesses said the fire leapt a few meters in the airthrowing a huge column of smoke in the air.