CAPE TOWN, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- A fire at Cape Town International Airport on Tuesday halted international flights and prompted a precautionary evacuation of passengers and staff, authorities said.
The blaze broke out on the landside of the airport and disrupted certain services, including parts of its IT network.
Authorities said the fire was later contained, but the incident forced passengers and staff in affected areas to evacuate as a precaution.
"The airport confirms that a fire occurred on the landside of the airport," Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) said in a statement. "The fire has been successfully extinguished, and all passengers, staff, and visitors are safe. Passenger safety remains our highest priority."
"We understand that this incident may have caused concern, and we urge all passengers and visitors to follow security instructions and proceed to designated places of safety as directed by airport personnel," it said.
The incident affected certain IT services, according to ACSA. "As a precautionary measure, international departures have been temporarily suspended, and incoming international flights are being diverted. International flights that have already landed are being processed."
The airport authority also advised passengers traveling domestically to check directly with their airlines and the company's mobile app for the latest flight updates.
"Further information will be shared as it becomes available. We thank our passengers and stakeholders for their patience and cooperation," it added. ■