Smoke Scare at Kotoka International Airport’s Terminal 3

Accra, Ghana — On what began as a calm Wednesday afternoon, the usual hum of air conditioning units and distant chatter in Kotoka International Airport’s Terminal 3 was abruptly interrupted by the sharp wail of a fire alarm. Within moments, passengers, airline staff, and visitors found themselves moving quickly toward the exits, as a faint haze of smoke curled through the terminal.

A Sudden Disruption

The incident occurred around 2:30 PM, just as a wave of international arrivals was underway. According to eyewitnesses, the first sign of trouble wasn’t noise, but smell. “It was this sharp, electrical kind of burning smell,” said Kwame Mensah, a returning passenger from London. “Before we could figure out where it was coming from, the alarms went off.”

Security officers moved swiftly, guiding travelers out of the main hall into the airport’s secure evacuation points. Some passengers, still clutching passports and luggage, were visibly shaken, while others filmed the unfolding scene on their smartphones.

The Source of the Smoke

Preliminary reports from the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) suggest the smoke originated from an electrical fault in one of the terminal’s air conditioning units. The affected area was quickly isolated by maintenance engineers, while the Ghana National Fire Service arrived within minutes to assess and secure the scene.

Fire officers confirmed that while there was visible smoke, no active flames were detected and the fault was contained before it could escalate into a fire. “We acted quickly to neutralize the hazard,” said a fire service spokesperson. “Passenger safety is always our top priority.”

Impact on Flights

While the evacuation temporarily disrupted airport operations, GACL reported that no outbound or inbound flights were canceled. A few flights experienced slight delays, particularly in boarding, as security protocols required re-screening of some passengers before re-entry into the terminal.

For some travelers, the experience was more unsettling than inconvenient. “You think about all the global headlines you’ve read about airport incidents, and for a few minutes, you wonder if this is going to be one of them,” said Ama Owusu, a traveler en route to Dubai.

Swift Return to Normalcy

By 4:00 PM, normal operations had resumed, with the terminal cleared for passenger use. Announcements over the public address system assured travelers that the situation was fully under control and that there was no ongoing safety threat.

The GACL has promised a thorough inspection of all electrical systems within the terminal to prevent a repeat incident, and stressed that emergency evacuation drills are routinely carried out to keep both staff and passengers prepared for unforeseen events.

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Lessons in Preparedness

Incidents like this, while unsettling, underline the importance of rigorous safety procedures in high-traffic public spaces. For Ghana’s busiest airport — a key hub for West African travel — the swift response to the smoke scare serves as both a test and a testament to its emergency readiness.

As evening descended over Accra, the terminal was once again filled with the usual scenes: tired travelers waiting for flights, duty-free shoppers browsing souvenirs, and the distant hum of announcements echoing across polished floors — a reminder that, in aviation, safety is always the first boarding call.