Fire at Cape Town airport disrupts international flights
Images shared online showed travellers evacuating South Africa's second-busiest airport with suitcases as smoke filled the terminal and sirens rang to alert passengers of an emergency evacuation.
Firefighters and emergency services vehicles and personnel are gather near the departure terminal of the Cape Town International Airport on February 24, 2026 following reports of a fire that broke out earlier today. (AFP)
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CAPE TOWN — A fire broke out at Cape Town International Airport Tuesday, prompting passenger evacuations and disrupting international flights to and from South Africa's popular tourist city before being brought under control.
Images shared online showed travellers evacuating South Africa's second-busiest airport with suitcases as smoke filled the terminal and sirens rang to alert passengers of an emergency evacuation.
"Cape Town International Airport confirms that a fire occurred," Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) said in a statement, adding that the blaze had been "extinguished" with no injuries.
"As a precautionary measure, international departures have been temporarily suspended, and incoming international flights are being diverted," the statement said, as the fire had affected "network and IT services".
International flights that had already landed were still being processed, it said.
The fire occurred just days after the announcement of a major phased infrastructure upgrade project at the airport.
According to ACSA statistics, Cape Town airport recorded 11.1 million two-way passengers in 2025, including 3.33 million international travellers.