After a second fire at the Baghdad airport in three days, which led the prime minister to dismiss three airport employees, Iraq launched an inquiry on Thursday.
No one was hurt in the most recent fire, which destroyed many airline offices in the two-story Nineveh Terminal.
According to his office, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani went to the airport to receive an update on the investigation that started after the fire.
According to a press statement from his office, he relieved the director general of the Civil Aviation Authority, the director of Baghdad International Airport, and the director of airport security of their responsibilities.
The statement added that the automated fire suppression system has not been operational since 2013, and the premier also sought an investigation into the contracting practices for the system.
The most recent incident occurred when a fire started in a refreshments area in the departures lounge of one of the terminals on Tuesday, inflicting minor injuries on three persons.
Sudani emphasized the necessity for a comprehensive inquiry “to uncover the true causes behind the fire’s recurrence.”
He also commanded a review of the airport’s safety system, emergency measures, and security protocols.
Iraq’s infrastructure is in poor condition as a result of conflict, neglect, and pervasive corruption. Accidents are commonplace and safety regulations are regularly broken in the transportation and construction industries.
Since it was built in the 1980s, when the late dictator Saddam Hussein was in power, Baghdad Airport has not undergone any significant renovations.
