Fire at Geneva airport: air traffic interrupted

A fire near Geneva Airport causes disruptions in Swiss air traffic.

(dpa)/gam./gds. A fire near Geneva Airport caused disruptions in Swiss air traffic on Friday. After 5:35 p.m., take-offs and landings were no longer possible due to the heavy smoke, airport spokesman Ignace Jeannerat confirmed reports from news agencies.

Jeannerat continues to say that starts have been possible again since 7 p.m. Before landings are carried out again, however, the buildings and runways of the airport would have to be checked for safety. Until then, planes would have to land at other airports, especially in Lyon or Basel.

The fire broke out on a construction site where an asylum center is being built, the spokesman said. He emphasized that the building is not on the airport premises. According to the “Tribune de Genève”, the future building of the international police and the federal center for asylum seekers in Grand-Saconnex, which are located near the airport, are on fire.

A cause of the fire is not yet known.

The airport has not yet been able to provide any information on how many aircraft or passengers are affected by the disruption.

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