On Monday afternoon at around 5pm, a minibus caught fire in the arrivals area of Palma Airport. The incident caused alarm among travellers and airport staff, as thick smoke rapidly spread throughout the exterior part of the terminal.
The smoke rose from the ground floor, where the arrivals area is located, up to the departures level one floor above. This created a potentially dangerous situation and caused disruption for cars and passengers in both zones of the airport.
Firefighters from AENA were quickly on the scene and managed to bring the blaze under control. The minibus was meant to transport a group of tourists to Alcudia. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported, as all passengers were able to exit the vehicle and retrieve their belongings before it was completely consumed by flames.
The smoke cloud generated by the fire was visible from several kilometres away. It drew the attention of bystanders and added to the overall sense of urgency and concern at the airport.
This incident follows a similar one just weeks earlier, when another minibus caught fire at the same airport. The recurrence has raised concerns about the safety and condition of these vehicles, which frequently shuttle tourists to and from the airport, possibly causing components to overheat due to constant use.