SINGAPORE: Changi Airport Terminal 2 was evacuated on Tuesday (May 16) after a “small fire” broke out at the departure hall, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
Three people were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation, it added, and the fire was put out using a hosereel jet.
According to Changi Airport, the fire alarm was activated at about 5.40pm due to “smoke coming through the air vents”. Channel NewsAsia understands the fire started in a storeroom.
In an update at about 6.45pm, Changi Airport said the situation is under control and the cause of the fire has been identified. It added, however, that flight operations at Terminal 2 are affected, and that passengers should expect “significant delays”.
At about 8.10pm, Changi Airport said the terminal remained closed “in the interest of ensuring safety”. All departing and arriving flights at Terminal 2 were moved to Terminal 3 until further notice and passengers were advised to check the flight information screens in the terminal and the Changi Airport website for flight details.
People were evacuated onto the tarmac of Terminal 2, including passengers waiting to board, those already on board as well as staff.
Passengers, staff evacuated onto the tarmac of Changi Airport Terminal 2.
Passengers and staff evacuated onto the tarmac of Changi Airport Terminal 2.
Nearly two hours after the firm alarm went off, people were still waiting outside the terminal. Some passengers who were evacuated told Channel NewsAsia that they were directed to shuttle buses which would take them to Terminal 3 for their flight out.
Earlier, Channel NewsAsia reader Noorazli Noor said his fiancee, who works at the airport, was told to evacuate as the smoke worsened.
Another Facebook user, Glinise Lorenzo-Singh, told Channel NewsAsia the fire happened at Gate F of the terminal. Her sister-in-law was inside the terminal waiting to board her flight when she was told that the flight would be moved to a different gate, Ms Lorenzo-Singh said.
Due to the incident, bus services 24, 27 and 53 will skip the bus stop at Terminal 2, said transport operator SBS Transit.
