An investigation is under way as to
what caused an evacuation of Owen Roberts International Airport on Sunday.
The evacuation occurred shortly
before 3pm when smoke was noticed by security at the airport.
Dennom Bodden, Fire Chief Officer,
said that response to the incident had been swift.
“The fire service heard a message
on the radio at 14.55 and arrived at the scene at 14.56. There were a total of
three vehicles from the domestic section – five personnel in attendance – and
one vehicle from the aerodrome section with three people that arrived at the
scene. The fire was extinguished at 15.22,” said Mr. Bodden.
The fire, initially said to be due
to an electrical fault, was in a non-passenger area on the second floor. It was
said to be near the kitchen of the Hungry Horse but outside the facility rather
than inside the café itself.
Evacuation
Around 500 passengers were
evacuated from the airport. At around 4pm passengers were allowed to return to
complete check-in or be re-screened before returning to the Departure Hall.
Three international flights were
affected with scheduled departures delayed by 15 to 30 minutes, according to an
advisory from the Cayman Islands Airports Authority.
“The Cayman Islands Airports
Authority regrets the inconvenience to passengers and other airport users and
thanks the Cayman Islands Fire Service and CUC personnel for their prompt
response and assistance at the terminal,” it read.
A full investigation is underway
with a report due today (Tuesday.)
