Massive Fire Rips Through Nairobi Airport

The blaze at eastern Africa's largest airport left the arrivals hall reduced to charcoal at the height of tourism season

  • Share
  • Read Later

The largest airport in eastern Africa remains partly shuttered after a fast-moving blaze engulfed international terminal at Kenya’s main airport Wednesday. No one was reported hurt in the fire at Jomo Kenyatta Airport, but much of the arrivals hall was reduced to charcoal as fire engines took more than an hour to arrive according to reports and quickly ran out of water upon fighting the blaze.

While the airport was reopened by Wednesday afternoon, the damage is likely to leave the airport debilitated, sending shockwaves through the region at the height of tourism season.

While there was no indication of terrorism, the blaze comes on an already somber day in the region — the 15th anniversary of deadly terror attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

More Photography from Time