Kolkata, 18 August (H.S.) : A fire broke out at the Air Traffic Control (ATC) building of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata early Tuesday morning, triggering a brief alert at the airport. The blaze was reported at around 4:43 a.m. on the open balcony of the third floor of the old ATC building.

After noticing flames and smoke, airport personnel immediately alerted the fire services. Three fire tenders from the airport’s fire service reached the spot and launched firefighting operations. The blaze was brought under control after nearly two hours of efforts, with the area being doused with water until around 6 a.m. to ensure that the fire had been completely extinguished.

The incident raised concern as the ATC building houses systems responsible for regulating aircraft movement. However, airport authorities said the fire did not affect flight operations and all scheduled flights continued to operate normally.

A preliminary assessment suggests that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit in electrical decoration wires installed for Independence Day celebrations. The fire was largely confined to the open portion of the building, while critical ATC equipment remained safe.

According to airport officials, communication-related equipment is located on the floor where the fire broke out. These systems are used by ATC personnel to maintain continuous communication with pilots. Airport authorities confirmed that the equipment was not damaged in the incident.

Airport Director Vikram Singh said the affected open area also contained outdoor units of air-conditioning systems. He said a detailed investigation was underway to determine the exact cause of the fire and reiterated that the incident had no impact on aircraft operations.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh