Thousands evacuated from Istanbul airport fire

A huge fire engulfed the cargo section of Istanbul’s Ataturk International airport today and blocked air traffic, television reports said.

Black smoke, mixed with flames, billowed some 100 feet high, television footage showed.

The fire caused panic at the airport, and authorities were trying to evacuate thousands of people from the nearby terminals.

Cihan News Agency said a short-circuit may have caused the fire and private NTV television said the fire began in a section where fuel depots were located.

Authorities were trying to move parked cargo planes away from the razing fire as firefighters tried to extinguish the blaze and planes dropped water from above.

Private NTV television said some cargo workers may have been trapped inside the blazing two-storey cargo building, which was used to store international cargo arriving in Istanbul.

Private Sky-Turk television reported occasional explosions at the building, and said chemicals may have caused the fire.

The building was located close to a hangar housing military aircraft.