Fire in VIP lounge at Norman Manley International Airport triggers evacuation
No injuries reported
Published:Saturday | March 15, 2025 | 7:09 AMAndre Williams/Staff Reporter
Emergency responders worked last night to secure the area after a fire broke out in the Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) in Kingston.
Audley Deidrick, president and CEO of the Airports Authority of Jamaica, confirmed that the fire was confined to a section of the terminal and that no injuries were reported.
“There are fire units on-site taking precautionary measures. The terminal was evacuated until the situation is fully under control,” Deidrick told The Gleaner last night.
In a statement, PAC Kingston Airport Limited (PACKAL), the operator of NMIA, said, “The terminal building was safely evacuated in accordance with our emergency protocols, and there are no reported injuries at this time. Airport emergency response teams and local fire services are working to contain the situation.”
The fire caused temporary flight delays, but PACKAL said that operations were expected to resume soon.
Transport Minister Daryl Vaz told TVJ News that preliminary assessments suggest the fire started in an air conditioning vent inside the VIP lounge.
“Thankfully, the fire does not pose a major risk to the entire airport; it is contained in the VIP Club Kingston. The smoke visible throughout the departure area is due to the air-conditioning system spreading it,” Vaz said last night.
Video footage obtained by The Gleaner showed passengers and airport staff evacuating as smoke billowed from the lounge. Some luggage reportedly got soaked as firefighters battled the flames, while alarms blared in the background.
The Jamaica Fire Brigade is investigating the cause of the fire.
Just a day earlier, NMIA had conducted a full-scale Aerodrome Emergency Exercise to assess its emergency response system in coordination with mutual aid partners and primary response agencies.
“The exercise was yesterday (Thursday) coincidentally. They did the exercise yesterday and now they are doing a live drill,” Deidrick told The Gleaner.