aviation news
A major fire broke out at Liege Airport July 23 in Belgium resulting into significant material damage, but flights have resumed , airport authorities stated. There were no casualties reported. The cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed
The fire broke out around 2330 on Wednesday evening in an empty building between the passenger terminal and the refuelling area. The fire caused a great deal of smoke, the cloud visible from afar in the surrounding area. Manuel Dony, mayor of the local commune Grace-Hollogne, said the smoke was no danger to local residents. A nearby hotel was not required to evacuate.
Flights were suspended for a time after the fire was discovered, with some incoming flights redirected. Traffic resumed shortly after. Liege is mainly served by freight carriers including TNT and Federal Express. In recent months it has become the central hub for the delivery to Belgium of materials related to the coronavirus epidemic.
The incident comes within a couple of days after Ethiopian Airlines Cargo’s B777-200F caught fire at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China, while loading cargo. Liege is also a cargo hub for Ethiopian Airlines.
Liege Airport, which mainly focuses on air freight is the largest in Belgium in terms of freight and one of the most important in Europe.
In recent months, it has become the central hub for the delivery to Belgium for materials related to the coronavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) chose the airport as a hub of distribution for medical supplies for Europe amid the pandemic.
Liege has been an important hub for the African airlines. Nairobi-based cargo airline Astral Aviation operates schedule flights from its Nairobi hub to Liege.
source:brusselstimes.com