A huge fire engulfed the cargo section of Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport on Wednesday, temporarily disrupting air traffic and causing thousands to flee nearby terminals.
Three people were injured, Deputy Gov. Fikret Kasapoglu said, adding that authorities suspected a short-circuit may have caused the fire, which billowed black smoke 100 feet into the air. There was no immediate indication the blaze was terrorism-related.
Private NTV television said the fire began in a section where fuel depots were located.
Planes dropped water onto the flames, and airport authorities said the fire was slowly being tamed. A firefighter atop a tall ladder poured a stream of water on the blaze.
"The fire is under control and we're taking precautions to prevent it from spreading to passenger terminals," said Baris Tozar, the undersecretary of the Transportation Ministry.
"There are no problems concerning flight security," Tozar added.
Airport director Irfan Balta said planes had been successfully moved away from the fire.
NTV said some cargo workers may have been trapped inside the blazing two-story cargo building, which was used to store international freight arriving in Istanbul.
Private Sky-Turk television reported occasional explosions at the building.
The building was located close to a hangar housing military aircraft.
Millions of tourists pass through the airport each year to reach Turkish resorts on the Mediterranean or Aegean coast.
Radical Islamic, leftist and Kurdish militants are active in Istanbul and Kurdish militants recently claimed responsibility for a huge fire at an Istanbul factory.
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