Alicante-Elche airport (IATA: ALC) has now reopened after it had been closed following the outbreak of a fire in the terminal on Wednesday at around 13.30. The fire started on one of the floors in the departures terminal, which forced the evacuation and closure to air traffic, both incoming and outgoing flights.
However Air traffic was finally resumed around 4 pm, after the diversion of just two flights, one to Valencia airport and another to the Murcia International.
Firefighters from the airport’s own facility were first onto the scene. They were subsequently joined by tenders and 15 additional personnel from the Provincial consortium.
A spokesman told the Leader that there was no evidence of personal injury.
See Also: BREAKING NEWS – ALICANTE AIRPORT ON FIRE
Air traffic was suspended from about 2pm to 4.00pm forcing the two diversions, one to the Valencia airport and another to the Murcia International airport.
Pictures showed clouds of smoke covering the Airport where the fire raged for more than half an hour.
🔴 URGENTE | Evacuado el aeropuerto del Altea – Alicante – Elche, por esta columna de humo. pic.twitter.com/ZlPyN7vNJE
— Joan Guirado 🏳️🌈 (@joanguirado) January 15, 2020
At about 3.30pm Aena confirmed that firefighters had brought the blaze under control and the area was being ventilated. They said that once this had been completed the airport would reopen for both departures and for arrivals.
The reason for the outbreak of the fire is still not known. It was first reported just after 1:30 pm on Wednesday forcing the evacuation of the terminal to all employees and to members of the public.
#ULTIMAHORA
Incendio en el aeropuerto de Alicante Elche @aena informa que evacuan la terminal @A3Noticias @La1_tve @informativost5 @informacion_es @la_informacion @EFEnoticias pic.twitter.com/sZKhWtUnLe— Andrea Pérez (@andreapt85) January 15, 2020
It is thought that it broke out on the roof of the terminal of the Alicante-Elche airport which forced the building and operations to be closed for two and a half hours, with inbound flights either diverted or held back until the situation was clarified.
Firefighters from Alicante-Elche airport, with the support of colleagues from the provincial Consortium and from the Alicante Fire Prevention and Rescue Service (SPEIS), joined forces to put out the fire.
Air traffic was also closed, according to Aena, which indicated that 125 flights were scheduled for Wednesday, of which, up to the outbreak of the fire they had dealt with 63.
According to the Emergency Information and Coordination Centre (CICU), there was no record of any injury.
