LOOK: Fire gutted Pilanesberg Airport in North West

Published Aug 29, 2023

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The Pilanesberg International Airport near Sun City outside Rustenburg burnt down on Tuesday.

The North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management said the fire seemed to have started near the air traffic control tower.

Security officers at the airport reportedly saw smoke at around 12pm but could not detect what was burning.

Upon investigating the incident further, they realised the smoke was coming from the top of the building close to the air traffic control tower.

Acting head of department Mpho Maleme said there were no injuries reported as they had moved the majority of staff members and furniture to porter camps.

She said they were in the process of renovating the airport.

Picture: Supplied

She said only two women, who work as air traffic controllers, were inside the burned building, but they were not injured.

Already, we have moved staff members from the burnt building. There were no injuries. No casualties that were encountered as staff members have been moved. There were only two

ladies who worked as air traffic controllers, but nobody was injured," she said.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

Picture: Supplied

Some of the airport personnel rushed to the tower and tried to extinguish the fire, but the flames engulfed the area, and in seconds, the thatched roof of the airport caved in.

The Sun City Fire Services and the Rustenburg Fire Services were called to extinguish the fire.

Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Sello Lehari, accompanied by Maleme rushed to the airport and ordered an immediate investigation.

"We would like to leave no stone unturned to ensure we get to the bottom of the cause of the fire,"Lehari said

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