Geneva airport: Fire breaks out nearby as black smoke seen covering the sky

A fire broke out near Geneva airport as dramatic footage on social media showed black smoke covering the sky on Friday.

The inferno broke out at the site of the future federal center for asylum seekers, according to Lieutenant Nicolas Millot who is the spokesperson for the Fire and Rescue Service (SIS).

Flights at the Geneva airport were disrupted as a result of the fire with planes unable to land.

The airport suspended planes from landing and any decisions about take-offs were left up to the disrection of pilots, according to reports.

“There is a building - the new reception center for asylum seekers - which was under construction... It is on fire. It is outside the perimeter of the airport,” airport spokesperson Ignace Jeannerat told Swiss radio RTS.

“It creates a very strong smoke,” he added.

He said the blaze was “under control”, but staff needed to “secure the area and remove the debris”.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Emergency services were alerted to the scene where the fire broke out.

It is Switzerland’s second-busiest airport after Zurich.

Some of the flights were diverted to Lyon and Basel, according to reports.