Updated 4.15pm with information on cancelled flights

A fire which devastated the passenger terminal of Catania's Vincenzo Bellini airport late on Sunday has forced the cancellation of all flights until Wednesday afternoon.

A Maltese passenger who was waiting to board a late flight to Malta described the scene at the terminal as "chaotic".

She said she saw smoke rising at the terminal at around 11.30 pm.

"It spread really quickly. Within seconds, the ceiling was black. The smoke was really really dense, and it filled the room in a heartbeat." 

The passenger described the scene as "total chaos".

As people rushed towards the emergency exits, staff stopped them from leaving the terminal, she said. 

It was then that passengers felt like they were in serious danger, she said.

"The staff did not seem to know what to do. Alarms were going off and they were keeping us in. They warned us they would call the police if we did not move in and away from the doors.

"At that point, chaos broke out. We wanted to leave and we shouted at the staff, pointing to the smoke. We were really angry because we were right by the emergency door and ready to walk out," said the passenger who did not wish to be named. 

"Other people arrived and moved us away from the door, but after a long five minutes they allowed us out from the same door."

The woman said they stayed on the airport apron till 4.30am when they boarded a coach and were taken to a hotel. The woman is now trying to get to Malta on the catamaran.

In a statement, Air Malta confirmed that its 16 flights to and from Catania, scheduled between Monday and Wednesday afternoon, have been cancelled.

Travellers can re-book their ticket or fly to or from Palermo instead. They can also cancel their flight and receive a full refund, the airline said. 

Air Malta will be operating two extra services to and from Palermo on Tuesday

These are:

KM3640 departing Malta at 6am arriving Palermo at 6.50am

KM3641 departing Palermo at 7.35am arriving Malta at 8.25

KM3642 departing Malta at 9.50pm arriving Palermo at 10:40pm

KM3643 departing Palermo at 11.25pm arriving Malta at 12.15am

Customers who hold existing tickets on cancelled Catania flights and who have not opted for a refund, may rebook these extra Palermo services at no additional charge by calling on 2166 2211.

ITA Airways flights have also been cancelled. 

Catania airport terminal on a normal day (Shutterstock)

Sicilian media reported that the fire broke out in the airport's arrivals lounge. No one was hurt. 

La Sicilia reported that the source of the fire was likely a malfunctioning electricity panel.

Panic among travellers

Smoke quickly spread along much of the airport, causing panic among passengers. Firefighters were quickly on site, but it took them several hours to completely put out the blaze. 

People were reported to be screaming and crying under thick smoke as they rushed to the exits. 

Catania is a popular destination for many Maltese holidaymakers, with several flights connecting the two airports daily. 

Are you affected by the fire at Catania airport? Share your experience with us at newsroom@timesofmalta.com