NAIROBI, Kenya – A fire that broke out on Friday evening in the grasslands surrounding Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) did not impact critical airport infrastructure or operations, according to the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA).
The fire, which ignited near Airport North Road around 7 p.m., spread quickly, engulfing hundreds of acres along the airport fence.
However, KAA assured the public that flights, passenger processing, and cargo handling remained unaffected throughout the incident.
A coordinated emergency response team, including the KAA Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Service, the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF), and the Nairobi County Fire Unit, was deployed to contain the flames.
“KAA assures the public that the fire is confined to non-operational grassland areas and has not impacted any critical infrastructure or operational zones of JKIA,” the authority said in a statement.
📢UPDATE STATEMENT: Grassland fire at JKIA successfully contained, airport operations unaffected.
Despite the intensity of the blaze, airport activities continued as scheduled, with planes landing and taking off as firefighters worked to control the flames.
The Kenya Red Cross also confirmed the incident, stating that emergency teams had been dispatched to assist in containing the fire and preventing further spread.
The fire drew the attention of hundreds of onlookers along Airport North Road, many of whom captured the dramatic scenes on their phones as emergency teams battled the blaze.
Authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the fire, and KAA has promised further updates as more information becomes available.
JKIA, Kenya’s busiest airport, is one of several managed by the Kenya Airports Authority, which oversees key international and domestic airports across the country.
