"Blaze Under Control at Turkish Airport"

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Blaze Under Control at Turkish Airport
By BENJAMIN HARVEY
The Associated Press
 
 
ISTANBUL, Turkey - A huge fire engulfed the cargo section of Istanbul's
Ataturk International Airport on Wednesday, temporarily disrupting air
traffic and causing thousands to flee nearby terminals.

Three people were treated for smoke inhalation, said Deputy Gov. Fikret
Kasapoglu.

Authorities gave various explanations for what caused the blaze, which
billowed black smoke 100 feet into the air at Turkey's busiest airport
before it was brought under control.

Kasapoglu said a short-circuit was to blame, while another deputy governor,
Vedat Muftuoglu, told CNN-Turk television at the scene that a spark from a
welder's torch caused the fire.

Muftuoglu said there was no sign the blaze was terrorism-related.

Kasapoglu assured passengers that there was no danger and flights were
taking place, although with delays.

Private NTV television said the fire began in a section where fuel depots
were located.

Planes dropped water onto the flames, and airport authorities said the fire
was being tamed. A firefighter atop a tall ladder poured a stream of water
on the blaze.

"The fire is under control and we're taking precautions to prevent it from
spreading to passenger terminals," said Baris Tozar, the undersecretary of
the Transportation Ministry.

"There are no problems concerning flight security," Tozar added.

Airport director Irfan Balta said planes had been successfully moved away
from the fire.

The two-story cargo building, located near a hangar housing military
aircraft, is used to store international freight arriving in Istanbul. Gov.
Muammer Guler of Istanbul said parts of the building collapsed and there was
"great financial damage."

Hundreds of uniformed cargo workers who escaped the building in a panic
anxiously watched the blaze.

"A huge black cloud came, it smelled like cables burning, the roof started
burning," said cargo worker Omer Toplar, adding that there was no explosion.

Sky Turk television showed a female airport worker in uniform, apparently
affected by the smoke, being treated by medics. Firefighters were seen
moving barrels containing chemicals to a safe area.

Millions of tourists pass through the airport each year to reach Turkish
resorts on the Mediterranean or Aegean coast.

Radical Islamic, leftist and Kurdish militants are active in Istanbul and
Kurdish militants recently claimed responsibility for a huge fire at an
Istanbul factory.

Attached Photo:

Istanbul airport fire

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