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13 March 2026
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Fire breaks out at Cape Town International Airport
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On Tuesday, 24 February 2026, a fire incident occurred at Cape Town International Airport, one of Africa’s busiest aviation hubs and South Africa’s second-largest airport. The event triggered a full emergency response, evacuation of sections of the terminal, suspension of international departures and diversion of inbound flights. Although the fire was extinguished rapidly and no injuries were reported, the incident caused significant operational disruption due to smoke, power interruptions and the failure of critical digital infrastructure supporting airport operations.
According to airport authorities, the fire started around 11h15am local time on the landside section of the airport, specifically in the Northern Service Yard near the International Inner Lane, an area supporting terminal infrastructure. The affected zone is part of the operational infrastructure serving the international terminal systems, including network infrastructure and electrical equipment.
Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) Group spokesperson, Ofentse Dijoe, said in its official statement, “We understand that this incident may have caused concern and we urge all passengers and visitors to follow security instructions and proceed to designated places of safety as directed by airport personnel. The fire affected network and IT services, including airport Wi-Fi and other essential systems. As a precautionary measure, international departures have been temporarily suspended and incoming international flights are being diverted. International flights that have already landed are being processed. Passengers travelling on domestic departures or arriving on domestic flights are advised to check directly with their airlines and the ACSA Mobile App for the latest flight information.”
In their statement on 25 February 2026, ACSA said, “Cape Town International Airport confirms that operations are returning to normal following a fire in the International Inner Lane (Northern Service Yard) on Tuesday, 24 February 2026. The fire was swiftly extinguished with no injuries reported. In line with established safety protocols, power across the terminal was temporarily isolated to allow for thorough safety assessments. While power and most systems have been restored, some manual processing remains in place. International departures resumed yesterday evening and all aircraft that landed during the incident were processed. A limited number of international flights were diverted during the disruption.”
Sources: Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), Reuters, BusinessTech, My broadband, News 24
According to airport authorities, the fire started around 11h15am local time on the landside section of the airport, specifically in the Northern Service Yard near the International Inner Lane, an area supporting terminal infrastructure. The affected zone is part of the operational infrastructure serving the international terminal systems, including network infrastructure and electrical equipment.
Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) Group spokesperson, Ofentse Dijoe, said in its official statement, “We understand that this incident may have caused concern and we urge all passengers and visitors to follow security instructions and proceed to designated places of safety as directed by airport personnel. The fire affected network and IT services, including airport Wi-Fi and other essential systems. As a precautionary measure, international departures have been temporarily suspended and incoming international flights are being diverted. International flights that have already landed are being processed. Passengers travelling on domestic departures or arriving on domestic flights are advised to check directly with their airlines and the ACSA Mobile App for the latest flight information.”
In their statement on 25 February 2026, ACSA said, “Cape Town International Airport confirms that operations are returning to normal following a fire in the International Inner Lane (Northern Service Yard) on Tuesday, 24 February 2026. The fire was swiftly extinguished with no injuries reported. In line with established safety protocols, power across the terminal was temporarily isolated to allow for thorough safety assessments. While power and most systems have been restored, some manual processing remains in place. International departures resumed yesterday evening and all aircraft that landed during the incident were processed. A limited number of international flights were diverted during the disruption.”
Sources: Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), Reuters, BusinessTech, My broadband, News 24
