The quick intervention of men of the Fire Service on Saturday prevented the domestic wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport Abuja from being gutted by fire.

 

Reports said that the fire started from one of the air conditioners in the departure lounge of the airport.

It was gathered that fire service personnel at the airport mobilized and put out the fire shortly after the lounge went up in flames, adding that flight operations were, however, not disrupted.

 

"There was no major damage to equipment or facilities at the airport," an eyewitness said.

 

The eyewitness added that passengers, who were at the lounge, were immediately evacuated through the emergency exit of the terminal.

 

The source also said the fire, which took about one hour to put out, was brought under control only when light was switched off at the airport’s main power supply source.

 

Contacted, Mr. Alfred Itua, the spokesman of the Airport said over-loading of the airport’s air conditioning system caused the fire.

"The fire was caused by over loading of the air conditioners at the lounge," Itua said. (NAN)