ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – A fire at the Antigua base of regional airline LIAT destroyed a hangar, two office block buildings, and an aircraft, the company said early Monday morning.
The fire is reported to have started at approximately 10:15 p.m. on Sunday, the airline said in a statement.
“There are no reports of injury or loss of life. The Company is working with the investigative authorities of Antigua and Barbuda as well as the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) to ascertain the cause of the fire,” the company said in the statement.
“It is expected at this time that all flights will operate normally today, Monday June 11,” the airline further said, promising a further update at 10 a.m. Eastern Caribbean Time Monday.
The Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) reported late Sunday night that residents in the area said they heard several explosions shortly before 10.30 p.m. and saw smoke billowing from the facility, located at the eastern edge of the V.C. Bird International Airport.
“More than two hours later, firefighters from the airport station and tenders and personnel from stations around the island were still trying to contain the dangerous fire and explosions continued to ring through the gutted hangar,” the CMC report said.