The airport of Catania, the most important in Sicily, announced on Twitter that it will remain closed until 15:00 Greek time the day after tomorrow Wednesday due to a fire that broke out during last night which was then brought under control by the firefighters.

“Flight operations are suspended until 14:00 local time on Wednesday, July 19,” the airport said in a brief statement on its Twitter account today.

According to media reports, the fire broke out shortly before midnight and was brought under control only at dawn, causing no casualties.

Passengers inside the airport were all evacuated by security personnel as thick smoke covered a large part of this international airport.

Catania Airport is regularly used by tourists heading to places such as Mount Etna and Taormina, about 70km away, and Syracuse with its ancient Greek theater and historic center on the island of Ortygia.

The two days until the airport reopens will allow the fire damage to be repaired and the smoke-filled building to be ventilated, according to media reports.

Catania was among Italian cities to issue a heat red alert on Sunday, along with the Sicilian capital Palermo and the island’s third-largest city, Messina, as the country braces for a wave of record high temperatures in the coming days.