Police looting in Kenya fire probed

Source BBC News@ tienganhvui.com

10 August 2013 Last updated at 16:08 ET

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined

Police officers and airport workers are being questioned over suspected acts of looting during this week's fire at an airport in Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

Investigators said some of the acts had been caught on security cameras. Items stolen included cash and alcohol.

The cause of Wednesday's fire at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has not yet been determined.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has ruled out terrorism but warned those responsible would be punished.

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Jomo Kenyatta Airport

• Busiest airport in east and central Africa, and seventh busiest in Africa


• Handles six million passengers a year


• Hub for neighbouring countries as well as cities as far away as Lagos, Johannesburg and Cairo - as well as gateway to continent for Europe and Asia


• Serves 49 destinations in 23 countries, across five continents


• Key export point for Kenya's flower industry, one of the country's top foreign exchange earners - Kenyan flowers account for 35% of flowers imported into the EU

Seven police officers, including an inspector, are being questioned over suspected looting.

One investigator told Agence France-Presse: "It is embarrassing because some of them concentrated on looting instead of raising alarms.

"We're questioning all of them. Police officers, immigration staff, civilians who work in other areas and even taxi drivers."

The suspects could appear in court on Monday, Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper reported.

The fire took about four hours to bring under control, by which time the arrivals hall had been gutted.

The airport is a regional hub, serving more than 16,000 passengers daily, and its closure caused widespread disruption.

President Kenyatta said on Friday: "There was no element of terror, no evidence of explosions or improvised explosive devices in this incident," adding that "those responsible for negligence will have to be punished".

The fire was believed to have started in the immigration zone

It turned into a huge blaze that spread to the arrivals area

Some reports said heavy traffic on the road to the airport hindered emergency vehicles

But some four hours after the blaze took hold it was reported to be controlled, with senior officials praising the work of the emergency services

Would-be passengers were left stranded

The fire sent up plumes of black smoke that could be seen from elsewhere in the capital Nairobi

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Đăng ký: Tieng Anh Vui

Posted in: BBC News,World News of the Day