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| Nairobi airport closes as fire crews tackle blaze | Nairobi airport closes as fire crews tackle blaze |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A huge fire has broken out at the main international airport in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. | A huge fire has broken out at the main international airport in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. |
| The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) said Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) had been closed and passengers evacuated. | The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) said Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) had been closed and passengers evacuated. |
| Cabinet secretary for transport Michael Kamau said the fire was "very severe" and urged people to stay away from the airport. | Cabinet secretary for transport Michael Kamau said the fire was "very severe" and urged people to stay away from the airport. |
| Images showed flames raging from one of the main buildings. | Images showed flames raging from one of the main buildings. |
| The interior ministry tweeted that an evacuation of the entire airport was under way, with only essential personnel remaining, but said the fire had been contained. | The interior ministry tweeted that an evacuation of the entire airport was under way, with only essential personnel remaining, but said the fire had been contained. |
| There have been no reports of any casualties and the cause of the fire is not clear. | There have been no reports of any casualties and the cause of the fire is not clear. |
| Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is an important regional hub for East Africa, with many long-distance flights landing there to connect to countries across the region. | Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is an important regional hub for East Africa, with many long-distance flights landing there to connect to countries across the region. |
| Water 'shortage' | Water 'shortage' |
| Dark smoke could be seen billowing into the sky across much of Nairobi as the fire - which began at approximately 05:00 local time (02:00 GMT) - took hold. | |
| Shocked would-be passengers stood outside the airport, bags in hand, watching the blaze. | Shocked would-be passengers stood outside the airport, bags in hand, watching the blaze. |
| The BBC's David Okwembah, who is at the airport, says many ambulances are going to the scene as well as fire engines. | The BBC's David Okwembah, who is at the airport, says many ambulances are going to the scene as well as fire engines. |
| He said a junior police officer told the BBC the fire had started at the airport's immigration zone, although this has not been confirmed. | |
| Multiple reports say the arrivals and immigration sections have been devastated by the blaze. | Multiple reports say the arrivals and immigration sections have been devastated by the blaze. |
| The BBC's Anne Soy in Nairobi quotes the government as saying fire engines are running dangerously low on water and tankers are being used to ferry water to the airport. | The BBC's Anne Soy in Nairobi quotes the government as saying fire engines are running dangerously low on water and tankers are being used to ferry water to the airport. |
| 'Less smoke' | |
| Julian Kyula - a passenger on board one of the last planes to land at the airport before flights began to be diverted - said the large cloud of black smoke had been visible from the plane. | |
| He told the BBC's Newsday programme that although the plane had landed the passengers were now stranded in the cargo area - at a safe distance from the blaze but unable to leave the airport. | He told the BBC's Newsday programme that although the plane had landed the passengers were now stranded in the cargo area - at a safe distance from the blaze but unable to leave the airport. |
| "Everyone is very calm, the crew is very calm, and we've disembarked from the plane now," he said, adding that passengers had not been given much information. | "Everyone is very calm, the crew is very calm, and we've disembarked from the plane now," he said, adding that passengers had not been given much information. |
| "There's a lot less smoke, so it's already looking a lot better than it did earlier this morning," he said. | "There's a lot less smoke, so it's already looking a lot better than it did earlier this morning," he said. |
| Mutea Iringo, a senior official at the interior and national co-ordination ministry, earlier confirmed "a serious fire" at JKIA, adding: "We are doing everything possible to avert a crisis. | Mutea Iringo, a senior official at the interior and national co-ordination ministry, earlier confirmed "a serious fire" at JKIA, adding: "We are doing everything possible to avert a crisis. |
| "Apart from emergency landings, all flights into and out of JKIA have been cancelled... [the] airport has been shut down." | "Apart from emergency landings, all flights into and out of JKIA have been cancelled... [the] airport has been shut down." |
| Cabinet secretary for transport Mr Kamau urged people not to obstruct the work of the emergency services. | Cabinet secretary for transport Mr Kamau urged people not to obstruct the work of the emergency services. |
| "They should allow the emergency work to continue and we kindly request even spectators, people who just want to watch, they should just keep off." | "They should allow the emergency work to continue and we kindly request even spectators, people who just want to watch, they should just keep off." |
| The KAA said only emergency vehicles were allowed in the area. | The KAA said only emergency vehicles were allowed in the area. |
| The blaze comes two days after aircraft were delayed for several hours after the failure of a hydrant needed for refuelling planes. | |
| It also comes 15 years to the day after attacks on the US embassies in Nairobi and in Dar es Salaam in neighbouring Tanzania killed more than 224 people - though there has been no suggestion that terrorism played any role in this fire. | |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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