A massive fire disrupted flight operations at Lahore Airport on Thursday, bringing both international and domestic flights to a halt, including the inaugural Hajj flight bound for Madinah.
Reports indicate that the fire originated from a short circuit at the Immigration counter, swiftly spreading throughout a significant portion of the airport. Although panic ensued among passengers, fortunately, no injuries were reported, though a woman and child fell ill from smoke inhalation and were promptly hospitalized.
Passengers were swiftly evacuated from the airport, with those already boarded for Hajj called back to the lounge. Airport Security Officials and Civil Aviation Authority firefighters were quick to respond, though the fire caused significant damage to the Immigration counter, resulting in operational disruption.
To mitigate the impact, international flights bound for Lahore were rerouted to alternative airports nationwide. Notably, a Sri Lankan Airline was redirected mid-air, while flights from Dubai were diverted to Islamabad. Meanwhile, incoming flights from Dubai, Doha, and Jeddah were cleared manually through immigration.
An investigative team led by Civil Aviation Authority officials, under the airport manager’s supervision, was assembled to determine the cause of the fire, which originated from the immigration counter’s ceiling. The cooling process was initiated as investigations into the incident continued.
