Government moves on airport fire hazard

THE GOVERNMENT yesterday pledged urgent action to ensure airport safety, after a report that the Larnaca and Paphos airports were seriously lacking in fire exits and relevant signalling and therefore in breach of the law.

Last week, Phileleftheros reported that thousands of passengers using Larnaca and Paphos airports, especially at the peak of tourism, were subject to serious danger as it was virtually impossible to evacuate departure lounges.

The arrival lounge at Larnaca has only one fire exit, which is unsuitable as it is blocked from the rear of the airport where trucks and vans are parked to offload goods.

On reading the article, Attorney-general Petros Clerides sent a letter to the head of Civil Aviation requesting that “the necessary measures are taken in order to comply with the existing legislative provisions on matters of security at Larnaca and Paphos airports.”

Clerides confirmed to the Cyprus Mail he had been in touch with Civil Aviation.

Communication and Works Minister Haris Thrasou said yesterday that he too had acted immediately following Phileleftheros’ publication.

“On Monday, I called for a meeting at the Ministry for this very subject and asked that I be given a fire-proofing report, listing all the discrepancies and shortcomings of the two airports. I have asked that measures be taken at the current airports, in order to comply by legislation and ensure as best we can that our airports are as safe as possible. It is difficult to do too much as the buildings are very old.”
The Ministry is in the process of building a new arrival lounge at Larnaca airport, which will be up to security standards, Thrasou said.
There is no fear of having the same problems with the construction of the new airport, added the Minister.

“The new building will be much more up to date and will certainly operate within the strictest safety and security regulations.”

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.