Minor fire at Vijayawada airport’s old terminal after short circuit; No damage reported

A minor fire incident was reported at the old terminal building of Vijayawada International Airport (Gannavaram) on Tuesday morning following a short circuit in the customs office section. The situation was swiftly brought under control by the airport’s firefighting team, officials confirmed.

According to Airport Director Lakshmikanth Reddy, the incident was described as insignificant and was said to have lasted only a few minutes.

It was stated that a small short circuit had occurred at around 7:15 a.m. in the customs office of the old terminal building, and it was promptly attended to by the airport sta ff.

The airport authorities clarified that only smoke was noticed during the brief episode and it was promptly cleared without causing any injuries or significant damage to property. Firefighting personnel immediately responded, preventing the incident from spreading further.

Operations at the airport continued without disruption, and flight schedules remained unaffected.

Officials said the short circuit took place in the older section of the airport premises, which currently houses certain administrative and customs offices. The new passenger terminal, operational since 2019, was not impacted in any way.

Airport Director Reddy described the fire as “a minor occurrence” and emphasised that all safety protocols were effectively followed.

Fact-checking with records from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) shows that Vijayawada Airport has maintained a strong safety record. No major fire or accident has been reported at the facility in recent years. Occasional technical snags and false alarms have occurred, but none were classified as safety breaches or emergencies.

The swift response by the airport staff once again underscored the preparedness of the firefighting and emergency management systems in place.

Vijayawada International Airport, one of the fastest-growing airports in Andhra Pradesh, handles both domestic and limited international operations. The old terminal building, where the short circuit occurred, has largely been retained for customs and administrative use following the inauguration of the new terminal six years ago.