It is a fact that incidents can and will happen at airports. However, when I was listening to the broadcast on Sky News about the huge fire at the airport in the Kenyan capital this week, it wasn’t just the scale of the incident that surprised me, but a comment made by the reporter that the cause of the fire was unknown.
Speaking from the airport the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure, Michael Kamau, explained that the fire started at 5:00 a.m. in the immigration area, spreading to the arrivals building, with the emergency services trying to stop the fire reaching the departures area. As a result, all inbound and outbound flights were cancelled.
Thankfully, no major casualties have been reported, so it would seem that the evacuation procedures worked very well. But the cost of shutting an airport can run to the millions within hours, not to mention the logistical problems for the airport, airlines, and travellers if planes have to divert and are in the wrong places. Add to this the businesses that use the airport to transport their goods, and the costs begin to spiral.
Once the ash has settled, the questions need to be asked as to how the fire was started, how the incident was managed, and what can be learnt and put in place to better prepare in future — to detect, contain, control, and ideally prevent such a situation. For example, did the airport have the right sensors and alarms? Were they positioned in the right places? Did the water hydrants fail, as one official is reported as saying? Had they been recently checked? Were CCTV cameras located near the sensors to provide a live-feed and playback to the control room when the alarm was raised? Did the people in the control room have the right training, access to the necessary information, and clear understanding of the emergency procedures to manage the incident? Were the emergency services able to respond in good time?
As a provider of PSIM solutions to many large international airports around the world, I feel it would be remiss not to point out that such a solution is worthy of consideration for JKIA. Whether it is an advanced situational management solution that encompasses all safety and security systems and sub-systems, or a management layer for the four-core security systems — video surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, and fire systems — it is all about “joining the dots” and giving the control room a clearer operating picture.
Of course, this requires investment, and given a recent quote from the Secretary-General of the Kenya National Fire Brigades Association, Francis Liech, that “as we speak, not a single fire engine is up and running,” it would seem that there is also need for investment in other essential emergency services that can service the airport and the surrounding areas.
With a new terminal due to open in 2017, a new runway planned, and a strategy (Project Mawingu) to connect 115 destinations in 77 countries across six continents by 2021, it is clear that the Kenya Airports Authority and Kenya Airways are committed to expanding trade and travel to and from the country. Consequently, it needs to look at the measures other international hubs are taking to improve safety and security of travellers, employees, and infrastructure.
At the time of writing, the airport is getting back on track, and time will tell whether this fire could have been prevented or better contained. I just hope lessons are learned which help improve the overall management of safety, security, and operational incidents at the airport in the future.
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I would wonder if the airport did not have some information but was withholding it to complete an investigation. These matters can be very sensitive in nature perhaps there are suspects that they are afraid would flee or other data that they are researching to determine if there is not a greater risk while trying no to cause a panic or damage business any farther.
If there was a criminal element, I feel that we would have been informed, but maybe not. I suspect they simply just don’t know though, which underlines a lack of control, for me.
Im not sure whether its ethical to put the blame on the authorities here since these things are natural disasters where no one has any control over it. The only control they have is to mitigate the damage which happens afterwards. I think the authorities have done something to mitigate so far and its something which we all should appreciate.
Since the same airport was attacked about a year ago and government departments everywhere have become more careful about releasing information too quickly I suspect that the statement that the cause is unknown is more of a way to cut off questions about possible attacks. Honestly until they have a definitive answer they really don’t know the cause. At the time of the reports I suspect they were still interviewing employees that were in the area to get an idea of what they saw and that officials were piecing together the information that they were gathering.
I am of the opinion that authorities have some clue about how the fire started and they instead of warnng the criminals wanted to catch hold of them before thay run away.
SafeNsane, many a times in the boards we have highlighted the importance of implementation of safety rules and regulations. We know they are there till the blue print is approved but not physically present or their servicability is not ensured. I feel that if check on daily basis is carried out on these fire equipment and appliances whereever they are placed at least one day they will be used to save many lives and material worth millions.
@Shehrbano Kamran: Maybe but still the disaster was not known until it happened right ?
Manshi sorry I did not understamd your question. As per my understanding any things happens only if we do not know about that and if we know that something going to happen we will take measures to stop it at all cost and it was a large scale destruction. I think that many other siurces were used to find out the cause of this fire that broke out.
One may not have noticed the difference in temperature, African facilities require redesign to meet the 21 century regulations.These countries need to invest or share reinvestiment with competent companies.Recommendation, need to redesign facilites, installation of fire and safety equipment, security guarding, video surveillance, access control+intrude alarms systems.(Premise and facility Management)
You’re right, safeNsane. Sometimes people just want answers, but you really have to take everything into consideration. Even past events. It’s better to not say anything rather than come up with something quick (but wrong.)
True, there are a lot of factors that should be considered. No doubt they’ll be looking into this.
You’re right, Sheh. I’m sure nobody intended for this to happen, nor did they want it to happen, unless they were terrorists or arsons or people with unscrupulous intentions. I hope they will take this as a learning experience and make sure it doesn’t happen again in the future.
Natural disaster? I don’t think it was natural, or at least it’s still too early to say. The latest reports suggets Mossad and the FBI are helping authorities probe possible terrorist involvement.
Salient point, @Mike Clauss. Information control.
Dare I question the amount of money lost to corruption in the region in past decades that could have paid for such facilities.
Daily basis, is that workable?
People like me (ie. the media) are always keen to pressure for a knee-jerk reaction. We want all the facts immediately, and have a pretty negative part to play in getting wrong information out fast. Not me personally, obviously…
@Robert Brown absolutely. I agree with you that the menace of corruption is taking its effects. I believe that its more pronounced in 3rd world or developing countries where those in governments are bending upon making money for them selves and taking least interst in what is happening elsewhere. Their every action is a cosmetic one and I am witness to these in our region, corruption can be seen in every nook and corner and the irony is that most of the time its goverment supported.
Or even Government-enacted, in some cases. Not getting into specifics of course, I don’t want to risk libelling Governments but it obviously happens in some parts of the world.
Rob I always wonder whether the money has got so much importance that not only 3rd world / developing countries I have heard even the prime man of some of the world leading ecomomical hubs are also charged with kick backs or corruption. I think that its not what they require but its actually the addiction. At the end of the day every one needs to sleep on one bed and only eat till he can. Still the hunger of money is not understandable.
I think perhaps it’s understandable (just me?) but it’s certainly inexcusable.
A daily basis seems like a lot to me. I know in my warehouse I did a visual inspection of all fire extinguishers etc. every 30 days. There was a tag at every location that I would sign and date at each inspection. All employees were trained to know where these were located and there were maps posted throughout the warehouse in common areas illustrating where all exits and fire extinguishers and alarms were located. A daily inspection would be overkill in my opinion.