An explosion at an airport in Kenya’s capital injured two people today and caused a fire that destroyed part of a departure lounge, police said.
The explosion occurred in a customs warehouse at Wilson Airport, Nairobi, triggering a fire that damaged part of the roof of the adjacent departure lounge, said police spokesman Superintendent Jaspher Ombati.
“Investigators are preparing to probe the cause of the blast,” Ombati said.
“Two people were injured, but their wounds are not life threatening,” he said.
An official said that one of those injured is an officer with the national security services and the other is a customs officer.
Air traffic was temporarily halted after the blast.
Pilots monitoring communications over short wave radio said emergency personnel indicated the blast might have been caused by the mishandling of explosive chemicals or a gas canister.
Both the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and Kenya Airports Authority refused to comment.
The airport is one of the busiest in Nairobi, serving as a hub for tourist and cargo charter flights. The airport is used mostly by light– and medium-sized aircraft as well as helicopters
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October 17, 2004 at 8:08 pm