Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire that broke out at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Friday evening. The fire, which ignited at around 6:30 p.m., consumed a vast section of the airport’s grassland area, particularly towards 75 Airport North Road.
Emergency response teams from multiple agencies, including the Kenya Police, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), Kenya Defense Forces, Kenya Pipeline, the Nairobi County Government, G4S, and KK Security, swiftly responded to contain the blaze. Despite its intensity, the fire was successfully brought under control later in the night.
Images of thick billowing smoke and bright flames circulating on social media caused widespread concern, with travelers voicing their fears over potential disruptions to their flights. However, for hours, the Kenya Airports Authority remained silent, leaving passengers anxious about the safety of the airport.
At approximately 9 p.m., KAA finally issued an official statement clarifying that the fire was confined to non-operational grassland areas. The statement reassured the public that essential airport operations, including flight schedules, passenger processing, and cargo handling, remained uninterrupted throughout the incident.
“All airport activities, including flight schedules, passenger processing, and cargo handling, remained fully operational and were unaffected throughout the incident,” read the statement from KAA.
The National Police Service confirmed that no injuries were reported. However, authorities have launched a full-scale investigation to determine the cause of the fire. The collaboration between police and other security agencies aims to establish whether the blaze was accidental or a result of foul play.
While operations at JKIA continued seamlessly, the incident has raised concerns about fire safety preparedness within and around the airport. This is not the first time a fire has broken out at JKIA, prompting renewed discussions on the need for robust fire prevention measures.
Authorities have assured the public that findings from the ongoing investigation will be made available once completed. Meanwhile, security agencies remain vigilant to ensure safety standards at Kenya’s busiest airport are upheld.
As the probe continues, travelers and airport personnel can take solace in the swift response by emergency teams, which ensured that Kenya’s premier international gateway remained operational despite the scare.
