A fire at Cape Town International Airport on Tuesday caused major disruption to flight operations, forcing the temporary suspension of international departures and the diversion of inbound flights.
The blaze, which broke out near the international terminal in the morning, led to emergency evacuations and interrupted key airport services, including baggage handling and IT systems. Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) confirmed that no injuries were reported.
Spokesperson Ofentse Dijoe said the fire occurred on the landside of the airport and has since been extinguished. “All passengers, staff, and visitors are safe. Passenger safety remains our highest priority,” they added.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAuthorities said the fire affected critical infrastructure, including network and IT services such as airport Wi-Fi, prompting the temporary suspension of international departures and diversion of incoming flights as a precaution.
Domestic operations gradually resumed, while passengers were advised to check with airlines for updates.
Eyewitnesses described smoke filling parts of the terminal and alarms sounding as evacuation procedures were carried out. Some suggested an electrical fault may have caused the blaze, and retail workers inside the terminal were evacuated. The baggage reclaim area was also affected, with luggage processing temporarily halted and passengers redirected through emergency routes at immigration points.
An official notification to airlines confirmed the activation of the Emergency Coordination Centre. “Cape Town International Airport has experienced a fire incident in one of the office wings,” it said. Despite the disruption, the airport remained operational under controlled conditions.
Flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town were briefly interrupted but resumed after emergency teams stabilised the situation.
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The fire comes days after the airport announced plans for a phased infrastructure upgrade. Cape Town International Airport handled over 11 million passengers in 2025, including more than three million international travellers.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
