Stavanger Airport in Sola, Norway, was closed on 7 January due to a large fire in the airport’s parking garage.
Norway Today reported that the fire erupted from the parking garage at 3:30pm local time (GMT+1000).
The garage, which can accommodate 3,000 cars, was almost completely occupied. It is estimated that around 300 cars have been destroyed.
The smoke and explosions caused all arriving and departing flights to be halted. Nearby buildings were also evacuated.
The fire was partially contained by night time, Norwegian news agency NTB reported.
Airport operator Avinor tweeted: “Air traffic to and from Stavanger Airport starts up again tomorrow, but it may take time for traffic to go normally. We ask passengers to consult information on avinor.no and from their airline.”
The Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg was among the passengers stranded at the airport.
Avinor has requested car owners to contact the authorities for information about their vehicles. It also noted that it was ‘too early to answer which cars are damaged’ and will convey the information after the situation is assessed.
Local police were reportedly informed that an electric car had caught fire in the garage, causing the fire to start.
Last year, a Russian passenger airplane was engulfed in flames at Sheremetyevo Airport, taking the lives of at least 41 passengers.
While landing, the aircraft skidded down the runway and its rear portion caught fire, emitting thick and black smoke.
