An Airbus A330 that was destined to be turned into scrap has been destroyed in a fire at Ciudad Real International Airport (CQM) in southern Spain.
According to emergency authorities in Castilla–La Mancha, the fire started in the tail of the Airbus A330 before spreading to the rest of the aircraft.
The Fire and Rescue Service for the Ciudad Real region confirmed that firefighters were deployed to the airport on April 18, 2024, shortly after the fire broke out at around midday.
Multiple fire engines attended the blaze, along with firefighters from both the airport and the Ciudad Real area.
The Civil Guard, emergency medical responders and police officers from the national and local service also attended the incident.
Shortly after 14:00, the Ciudad Real fire service announced that the fire had been extinguished and that that there were no injuries to members of the public or emergency staff.
It is unclear whether the Airbus A330 was sitting idle or in the process of being scrapped at the time it caught fire.
Controlado el incendio de un avión, que se estaba desguazando, en el aeropuerto de Ciudad Real
— SCIS Ciudad Real (@Emergencia1006) April 18, 2024
ℹ️ Se ha perimetrado la zona y están actuando efectivos de los parques de #CiudadReal capital y #Puertollano, además de bomberos del aeropuerto pic.twitter.com/hdT7GssvKE
There are unconfirmed reports that the retired A330 was formally operated by Cathay Pacific, or one of its subsidiaries such as Cathay Dragon.
The fire is being investigated, but so far no details have been released regarding a possible cause.