CJIA emergency system worked during fire- CEO

Last Updated on Sunday, 18 May 2025, 20:02 by Writer

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Ramesh Ghir, on Sunday said the airport’s emergency response system kicked in during a suspected electrical fire in the check-in area that resulted in two flight delays.

Mr Ghir said Caribbean Airlines and Suriname Airways suffered delays on their outbound flights but have since departed Guyana.

CJIA said in a statement that “there have been no reports of injuries to passengers or airport users.”

He said the burnt air conditioning unit was isolated from the electricity distribution system, and power was restored to the airport, paving the way for the resumption of normal operations.

The airport boss said the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), which responded to the ceiling fire, would investigate to determine the cause of the blaze.

The CJIA said the GFS “swiftly responded to and contained a fire detected in an air conditioning unit at the check-in area.”

The airport also said the fire, suspected to be electrical in nature, prompted the immediate evacuation of passengers and airport staff to allow the GFS to conduct initial investigations.

“The incident, which originated with a burning air conditioning unit, triggered the immediate activation of the airport’s emergency response plan. Passengers and airport staff were safely evacuated from the terminal,” the airport added in a statement.

The CEO said, in keeping with the CJIA’s emergency response plan, security guards assisted occupants to exit the building and they were mustered outside the Lotus Restaurant.

Questioned about why persons resorted to using their cellphone lights, he said that might have been due to smoke inside the building at the time.

Mr Ghir said the CJIA is fully equipped with numerous standby lights that automatically switched on after the regular electricity supply was shut down.

“The airport’s emergency systems, including fire alarms, emergency lighting, and fire shutter doors, functioned as designed and were automatically deployed,” the airport said in its statement.

The CJIA said the “safety and security of its passengers and staff remain our top priority. We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of the traveling public during this incident and thank all responding agencies for their prompt and professional actions.”