GEORGE TOWN • A fire near Penang International Airport terrified passengers and put the authorities on alert on New Year's Day.

Passengers at the airport terminal went into a frenzy when they saw thick, white smoke billowing from behind the cargo building opposite the runway.

The airport's emergency response team rushed to where two cargo planes were parked at the cargo terminal, not far from the fire. Firemen sprayed water over the fence, where the grass on idle land was burning, to stop it from spreading to the airport's grounds.

The smoke could be seen from kilometres away.

Malaysia Airports senior manager Mohd Nadzim Hashim later confirmed that the fire was not within the airport grounds and flights were not delayed by the incident.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK