The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority-UCAA has revealed that the fire which broke out at two jet fuel tanks at Entebbe International Airport on Tuesday, was caused by a fuel spill.
Four jet fuel tanks that store 7.5 million litres are at the airport, serving 10 million litres of jet fuel monthly to Air operators.
The tanks are located near the parking lots for the general public, long terminal and staff but also adjacent to the main access road for motorists heading to the cargo and passenger terminal building.
According to Acting Director-General Fred Bamwesigye UCAA, the fire broke out when aviation fuel staff were draining out the remaining fuel segments using a diesel-powered pump.
Bamwesigye says during the process, which is part of routine maintenance, the pump’s drainage tube disengaged from the pump, causing the fuel to spill and triggered the fire outbreak.
Eyewitnesses say that when the drainage tube disengaged, the fire broke out immediately, but was put out by UCAA’s Airport Fire and Rescue Service Team who sprayed water to cool the tank.
According to Bamwesigye, the authority will issue a comprehensive incident report within 24 hours, as required by the International Civil Aviation Organization- ICAO.
He adds that the fuel tanks were set up in the 1970s and they did not pose any safety threats because there were no facilities between the passenger terminal and the tanks
