The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

AVIATION authorities confirmed yesterday investigations are ongoing, following a fire at the Lynden Pindling International Airport which resulted in the destruction of a Golden Wings Charter Britten-Norman Islander.

Aviation Authority General Manager Milo Butler III, in an interview with The Tribune Wednesday afternoon, said authorities received information earlier in the day of a fire at the Golden Wings’ maintenance bay, to which response units were dispatched.

He said while particulars were not confirmed up to the time of the interview, he understood that the fire occurred during "routine maintenance" and was addressed “virtually immediately.”

Mr Butler added: “The fire was extinguished using foam - no injuries or fatalities were reported on the ground.”

Videos of the incident were circulated social media Wednesday, with some speculation over whether responding fire, crash and rescue units were properly equipped to battle the blaze, which eventually destroyed both the plane and the maintenance bay. However, Aviation Authority officials insisted that the adequate resources were in place to prevent a more “dire ordeal.”

Sam Clark, of the Fire, Crash and Rescue Unit dispelled the notion that units were ill-equipped, insisting that the preparedness of responders “ended a serious situation before it got out of hand.”

Full reports on the blaze are expected to be concluded in the coming days, with Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) personnel confirming the release of the report by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, owner and operator of Golden Wings Charters, Cameron Roach, yesterday said the charter service was going through the internal process of determining what caused the "unexpected" fire.

He told The Tribune that the plane was in for its scheduled maintenance when the fuel tank ignited without warning.

"We are looking into it and expect to have some clear answers soon. The insurers and manufacturers are expected in town to aid us in this regard, so we would be able to say more at that point," Mr Roach stated.