Fire breaks out at Dhaka airport

A fire has erupted at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, halting immigration services for around half an hour.

Fire Service officials said an accidental electric malfunction caused the fire on the first floor of the Terminal No. 2 around 6pm on Sunday.

Several units of firefighters rushed to the scene after smoke left passengers and officials in panic near the immigration office.

Seven units were working to tame the fire, Shafiqul Islam, a senior officer at the Fire Service Uttara Station, told bdnews24.com

“The entire airport is filled with smoke. Power supply has been switched off. Immigration services have halted,” immigration police OC Tasmin Ashraf told bdnews24.com at 6:15pm.   

Later, around 6:45pm, Abdullah Al Farooq, a director of the Civil Aviation Authority, said: “Everything is normal. Airlines operations and immigration services are normal.”   

People panicked after seeing smoke in the area reserved for passengers next to immigration, according to Farooq. 

“No fire was traced. The smoke created the panic,” he said, but could not say from where the smoke originated.

Armed Police Battalion Commanding Officer Rashedul Islam, who was on duty at the airport, also said no fire was seen.

“We suspect some electric malfunction caused the smoke,” he said. 

Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Mohammad Ali confirmed to bdnews24.com later that an electric malfunction caused the fire and smoke on the ceiling of the floor.

“Now we have opened the false ceiling and are trying to get to the root of the fire. There is nothing to be worried about,” he said.

Last year, on Aug 11, a fire on the second floor stopped the airport in its tracks for more than an hour.