# Explosions at Istanbul Airport



## tomahawk6 (24 May 2006)

Cargo area at the airport is burning. Fire may have spread to fuel tanks. Terrorism is not suspected, but who knows.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,196759,00.html

ISTANBUL, Turkey — A huge fire engulfed the cargo section of Istanbul's Ataturk International airport on Wednesday, blocking air traffic and causing hundreds of panicked people to flee, television reports said. 

Authorities worked to evacuate thousands of people from nearby terminals as black smoke billowed 100 feet into the air.

A firefighter atop a tall ladder poured a stream of water on the fire, and a plane flew overhead, dropping a payload onto the flames -- apparently fire retardant chemicals. But the flames rose above the building.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.

CountryWatch: Turkey

Private NTV television said some cargo workers may have been trapped inside the blazing two-story cargo building, which was used to store international freight arriving in Istanbul.

Private Sky-Turk television reported occasional explosions at the building and said chemicals may have caused the fire.

The building was located close to a hangar housing military aircraft.


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## J.J (24 May 2006)

Hundreds flee fire at Istanbul airport
Last Updated Wed, 24 May 2006 09:17:08 EDT 
CBC News
A massive fire broke out Wednesday at Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport.

Television images showed flames and clouds of dense black smoke billowing from the airport's cargo area.

Hundreds of people reportedly fled the blaze, and authorities worked to evacuate nearby terminals at the airport. All air traffic in the area was diverted.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.

"It certainly took hold very quickly," freelance journalist David O'Byrne told CBC News from Istanbul.

"It spread very quickly to engulf the entire cargo section of the airport."

The building where the fire broke out  is close to a hangar housing military aircraft



CBC TV is indicating a massive explosion is the cause of the fire.


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## old medic (24 May 2006)

Sometimes the wire copy is worth a giggle. 


> close to a hangar housing military aircraft



Gosh, hangars and aircraft at an airport ? 

"close to a parking lot" would have been equally informative.


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## AmmoTech90 (24 May 2006)

Only confirmed damage is Lufthansa cargo terminal

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=aCNkcLTnUqls&refer=europe

and electrical fault suspected

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-05-24T162605Z_01_L24405469_RTRUKOC_0_US-TURKEY-AIRPORT-FIRE.xml&archived=False


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