A massive fire broke out next to Bordeaux Airport in France on Tuesday at around 2.30pm local, with two firefighters already having been confirmed dead while battling the flames
Flights have been cancelled at a major airport after a massive fire broke out nearby, with two firefighters sadly killed in the horror incident.
Local media is reporting that the fire started on Avenue Roland Garros, close to Bordeaux Airport’s long-term P4 car park, with the blaze already having spread across approximately one hectare after breaking out at around 2.30pm local time.
Two firefighters were killed while tackling the fire, confirmed France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. Flights departing from Bordeaux Airport have now been temporarily suspended, with multiple roads around the airport closed off for emergency services to attend the incident.
Firefighters are continuing to fight the flames as thick black smoke fills the sky.
The Gironde department was placed on the highest red alert for forest fires on Tuesday following weeks of heatwaves and dry conditions.
More than 42,000 hectares have burned across France between January and mid-July, already surpassing the previous record set in 2022.
French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the two firefighters killed in a post on X. He said: “Two firefighters lost their lives while responding to a fire in Mérignac.
“I extend to their families, to their loved ones, and to the firefighters of France the condolences, the gratitude, and the support of the Nation.”
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