Blackout at Port Harcourt airport as bush fire damages high tension poles

It is pitch black at the Port Harcourt International Airport after a bush fire damaged electricity facilities.

Part of the bushes surrounding the airport caught fire on Tuesday; the second time in weeks that a similar incident resulted in flight delays at the airport.

John Onyi, manager of corporate communications at the airport, told NAN on Thursday that efforts are ongoing to restore power at the airport.

According to Onyi, the latest fire incident destroyed facilities belonging to the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company.

“The bush fire damaged over 14 high tension poles supplying electricity to the airport’s 33kv feeder,” he said.

“However, PHED technical crew have been mobilized to the site, with a view to erecting the poles and restoring power supply to the airport.”

The spokesman appealed to airport authorities and travellers to be patient throughout the period repairs of the facilities would last.

On Saturday, January 25, the Muritala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos suffered a bush fire incident.

According to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the bush fire incident occurred around the RESA of 36L at the airport.

The incident, however, did not affect flight operations.