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Cause of Charlotte airport parking deck fire revealed. 3 hurt, fire officials say.

Three people were hurt when flames erupted in a parking deck at Charlotte Douglas International Airport Saturday morning.

Late Saturday, fire officials revealed the cause: An engine compartment that ignited in one of four vehicles damaged in the blaze. Charlotte Fire investigators ruled the fire an accident.

Three people were hurt when flames erupted in a parking deck at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024.
Three people were hurt when flames erupted in a parking deck at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. CHARLOTTE FIRE DEPARTMENT

The fire caused $105,000 in damage, according to a Charlotte Fire post on X, the former Twitter.

Charlotte Fire first alerted the public to the fire on social media just after 9:30 a.m.

“Units on scene with smoke and fire showing from the parking deck,” Charlotte Fire officials said on X. “A second alarm has been struck.”

Medic took one person to a hospital for further evaluation, fire officials said.

Sixty firefighters controlled the blaze in 40 minutes, and the cause remains under investigation, according to the fire department.

“Airport operations were not affected, but expect parking delays,” fire officials said.

The fire started just after 9 a.m. in the hourly deck, where four cars caught on fire, Charlotte Observer news partner WSOC reported. The station published a photo from a woman who was at the airport that shows a huge plume of smoke billowing skyward.

Emily Rose took this picture from the E concourse ramp of the smoke billowing from a fire in the hourly parking deck at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024.
Emily Rose took this picture from the E concourse ramp of the smoke billowing from a fire in the hourly parking deck at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. EMILY ROSE VIA WSOC
A damaged vehicle is being towed away from Charlotte Douglas International Airport parking deck Saturday morning, Aug. 10, 2024 were three people were injured in a two alarm fire.
A damaged vehicle is being towed away from Charlotte Douglas International Airport parking deck Saturday morning, Aug. 10, 2024 were three people were injured in a two alarm fire. KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH knikouyeh@charlotteobserver.com
A damaged vehicle is being towed away from Charlotte Douglas International Airport parking deck Saturday morning, Aug. 10, 2024 were three people were injured in a two alarm fire.
A damaged vehicle is being towed away from Charlotte Douglas International Airport parking deck Saturday morning, Aug. 10, 2024 were three people were injured in a two alarm fire. KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH knikouyeh@charlotteobserver.com
Three people were hurt when flames erupted in a parking deck at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024.
Three people were hurt when flames erupted in a parking deck at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. CHARLOTTE FIRE DEPARTMENT

This is a developing story that will be updated.

This story was originally published August 10, 2024 at 12:16 PM.

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Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
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